Delegates attending the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting and India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, were seen donning traditional attire as they participated in the Ganga Arti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat on Sunday evening. The ceremony was part of the reception for the delegates who were earlier welcomed at Namo Ghat, where they enjoyed traditional dance performances by local artists. The G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting is being held in Varanasi and will see the preparation of a roadmap for agriculture development in 20 developing countries. The meeting will also discuss topics such as agriculture, research, and education.
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A warm reception was given to the delegates from countries including Brazil, Germany, Japan, Indonesia and China, as they arrived at Varanasi airport earlier in the day. They were welcomed with performances of Indian dance and Damru Vadan by Kashi Vishwanath Damru Vadan Samiti and Awadh’s Faruwahi dance. The delegation includes Patrick Conroy from Australia, Mauricio Lyrio, Brazil’s Ambassador to India, Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Svenja Schulze, Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Shunsuke Takei from Japan, and Zhao Yifan from China, among others.
The G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting is taking place in the face of mounting developmental challenges including debt distress, the effects of climate change, rising poverty and inequality, supply chain disruptions worldwide, and geopolitical tensions and conflicts. The meeting is an attempt to collectively agree on actions to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote synergies between the development, environment, and climate agendas while averting costly trade-offs that impede progress for developing countries.
The G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting, which is being held under India’s G20 Presidency, will take place between 11th and 13th June in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi. The meeting will watch a special video address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar will preside over the meeting.
