Jaishankar welcomes delegates at G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed delegates at the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, June 12. The three-day event, part of India’s G20 presidency, will see 200 delegates come together to tackle mounting developmental challenges. These include global economic slowdown, climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality, the cost of living crisis, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitics. Delegates from Brazil, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and China arrived at the Varanasi Airport on Sunday and participated in the city’s cultural events, including the Ganga Aarti ritual at the Dashashwamedh Ghat. The meeting’s main sessions are focused on Multilateralism: Collective Actions for Accelerating Progress towards SDGs and Green Development: A LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) Approach. A new roadmap for agriculture in 20 developing countries will also be prepared, with agricultural scientists brainstorming issues of research and education. The meeting will serve as an opportunity to agree on an action plan for accelerating the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and fostering synergies between the environment, development, and climate agendas.