Varanasi | Differences in the G20 over the Russian war on Ukraine surfaced yet again on Monday with a conclave of the development ministers of the grouping unable to agree on a consensus following opposition by Russia and China, notwithstanding host India's efforts to find common ground.
An outcome document and chair's summary containing 14 paragraphs mentioned that there was no consensus on two paragraphs with the footnotes making it clear that Russia and China were the two countries which opposed the references to the war in Ukraine.
The G20 development ministers meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, delved into various developmental challenges facing the globe and adopted an India-initiated seven-year action plan to accelerate progress on the sustainable development goals through an inclusive roadmap.
It also adopted another document that aimed to enhance cooperation and partnerships for sustainable lifestyles to complement climate mitigation.
Paragraphs 10 and 11 of the outcome document and the Chair's summary mentioned that most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering, noting that "today's era must not be of war", a formulation that echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's position on the conflict.
The document said there was a discussion on the war in Ukraine and referred to specific resolutions by the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, deploring the aggression by Russia against Ukraine and demanding its complete and unconditional withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.
The G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi too was unable to come out with a joint communique due to the rift between the US-led Western powers and Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
In February, China and Russia objected to the formulations on the Ukraine conflict at the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Bengaluru following which no joint communique could be issued.
"Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy -- constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks," the paragraph 10 in the outcome document said.
It said there were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.
Paragraph 11 said the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible and "the peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today's era must not be of war." At a bilateral meeting with Russian President Putin on September 16 last year in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, Modi said, "Today's era is not of war" and nudged the Russian leader to end the conflict.
The Western powers have been accusing Russia of resorting to the threat of use of nuclear weapons in the conflict.
The outcome document mentioned that all G20 development ministers agreed to paragraphs 1 to 9 and paragraphs 12 to 14.
The first footnote said Russia disassociated itself from the status of the document as a common outcome because of references to para 10 and 11.
The second one noted that China stated that the meeting outcome should not include any reference to the Ukraine crisis.
At a media briefing, Jaishankar said every delegation spoke for its interest and its outlook.
"I would not get into this - who supported whom and who did not support," he said, adding the fairest description was that everybody spoke for themselves.
"And my job as chair was to find the common elements and put it together and that is the document that is there before you," he said.
The outcome document said the meeting reiterated unwavering commitment to international cooperation, multilateralism and global solidarity as the best way for the world to effectively overcome and recover from the current and other pressing global crises and challenges.
The G20 development ministers also vowed to promote digital technologies and to narrow the digital divide between and within countries.
They also vowed to support developing countries to enable them to harness data for development, including through investments in the digital economy, and digital infrastructure.
On SDGs, the ministers reaffirmed that addressing the growing debt vulnerabilities, removing bottlenecks faced by developing countries in availing financing and resource mobilisation are crucial for the implementation of the 2030 agenda and achievement of its SDGs.
"In this regard, we also reaffirm, and reiterate the call for enhancing international cooperation, strengthening and evolving of multilateral development banks, given the scope and complexity of transboundary challenges, and enhancing partnerships with international and regional organisations," the outcome document and the Chair's summary said.
In 2015 the UN firmed up a set of 'Sustainable Development Goals' that were focused on ending poverty around the world, protecting the planet and ensuring welfare and prosperity for everyone.
India hosted the conclave in its capacity as the current chair of the G20.
The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.
The members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).
