NEW DELHI: With the G20 meetings set to begin this month under India's president, the government on Friday announced a two-day virtual summit on January 12-13 that will bring the countries of the global South together to discuss their shared interests.
The event, called the 'Voice of Global South' summit, will see large participation, also from non-G20 countries, with discussions being held on various global challenges including food and energy security triggered by the Ukraine conflict.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, "We have sent out invitations to over 120 countries and during the course of the next few days we will have the exact number of the countries and heads of state that are likely to be attending this."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be chairing the inaugural and concluding sessions of the summit which is expected to be attended by a number of heads of state. The summit envisages ten sessions to be held on finance, environment, foreign affairs, health, energy ministers, education, commerce and trade.
"It essentially envisages bringing together countries of the global south and sharing their perspective and priorities on a common platform across a whole range of issues. India’s ongoing G20 Presidency provides a special and strong opportunity for those countries that are not a part of the G20 process to share their ideas and expectations for the G20," Kwatra said.
The 'global South' largely refers to countries in Asia, Africa and South America. Each session is expected to have participation from anywhere between 10 to 20 heads of state or ministers.
PM Modi has been reiterating that India’s G20 Presidency will be shaped in consultation with our fellow travellers in the Global South whose voices often go unheard.
Kwatra said the initiative to host the summit is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas', and is underpinned by India's philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family).
Asked whether Pakistan, China and Ukraine have been invited, Kwatra did not give a direct reply and said the names of the participating countries will be made public in due course.