Day 1 of G20 Development Working Group Meeting in Mumbai
The first meeting of the Development
Working Group (DWG) under India’s G20 Presidency is currently underway in
Mumbai. Members, Guest countries and invited International Organizations are
attending the meeting in person.
The three-day Development Working
Group meeting will focus on G20 collective actions for accelerating progress on
the SDGs, and support to developing countries in dealing with immediate
concerns relating to food, fuel and fertiliser security.
The first day of the meeting
witnessed two side events on “Data for Development (D4D): Role of G20 in
advancing the 2030 Agenda” and “Infusing new LiFE into Green Development”.
The D4D side event was organised in
collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Office of the UN
Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (OSET), and United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The event was designed as a curtain-raiser
for further deliberations on D4D that would take place in the Development
Working Group under the Sherpa Track during India’s G20 Presidency.
They D4D session began with a welcome
address by Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa. In his address Mr Kant
underlined the importance of good quality, real-time and accessible data to
being change in the lives of citizens, of developing countries, and even
developed countries. He said that data will make every political leader, every
government servant accountable to their people.”
The session also witnessed keynote
addresses by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and
Information Technology and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship; Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, United Nations
Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development; and
Nandan Nilekani, Non-Executive Chairman, Infosys & former Chairman, Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Rajeev Chandrasekhar in his address.
said that, “We must view the digital economy through a combined prism of trust
and protection. We must work together to build a new international framework
for technology, internet, and indeed data that can mainstreams the public good
and sustainable development.”
In her keynote address, Her Majesty
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for
Inclusive Finance for Development said that “Financial inclusion is a powerful
tool of development. 8 of the 17 SDGs highlight it as a way to help achieve
zero poverty, no hunger, good health, gender equality & economic growth.
Shri Nandan Nilekani in his address
said that, “the most important Data for Development is one’s own data. This is
where the unique Indian architecture of data empowerment allows individuals and
small businesses to use their own data to get access to various services, which
is transformational”.
The D4D side event also hosted two
breakout sessions on ‘Rejuvenating Legacy Systems: From Data to Public Value
Intelligence’, and ‘Models for the Future: Leveraging IoT, Big Data and AI for
the SDGs’ which were attended by participants from various walks of life,
including representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations,
civil society and the private sector.
The post-lunch side event was held
under the theme, ‘Infusing New LiFE into Green Development’. The event was
organised in collaboration with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water
(CEEW), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the 10YFP/One Planet Network.
The side event emphasised on how
India’s LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative can catalyse multilateral
action for achieving the SDGs, including climate and development goals.
Collective climate action and LiFE are priorities of India’s G20 Presidency.
In his opening address at the LiFE
session, India’s Sherpa Amitabh Kant said “LiFE is critical because a country
like India will see rapid urbanisation and individual and collective behaviour
will make all the difference.”
Her Majesty Queen of Bhutan, Jetsun
Pema who delivered a keynote address at this session congratulated India on
assuming its G20 Presidency. She remarked that under the leadership of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, the world is confident that India will discharge its
important responsibilities of the Presidency with great prudence and success.”
The side event also included a video
message from Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General, United Nations,
a presentation on LiFE by Parameswaran Iyer, CEO, NITI Aayog, and a
keynote by Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW.
The side event hosted two fireside
discussions on boosting SDGs with LiFE and how LiFE could enable sustainable
economic transformation. Ligia Noronha, UN Assistant Secretary-General and
Head, UNEP (New York), Mr Sonam Wangchuk, Founder and President, Students’
Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), and Dr Shannon B Olsson,
Global Director, the echo network, participated as inspirational speakers.
Other speakers at the session
included Lord Nicholas Stern, Member of the House of Lords of the United
Kingdom and Chair, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the
Environment, LSE; Gauri Singh, Deputy Director General, IRENA; Nitin Desai,
Chair, The Energy and Resources Institute and former UN Under-Secretary-General
for Economic and Social Affairs; Dr Atsushi Watabe, Programme Director,
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); and Dr Navroz Dubash,
Professor, Centre for Policy Research.
The first day of the meeting ended
with a cultural program which was graced by the Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat
Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavis and other senior dignitaries.
The cultural program showcased the
rich folk dance and musical traditions of Maharashtra. The Abhang, Koli, Sufi,
Lavni, Gondhal and Jogva were some of the folk-dance forms that were presented
to the delegates. A surprise element of the day was a high-energy percussion
performance - Puneri dhol by a 50-member troupe, majority of whom were women.
Delegates were also given a guided tour of the Gateway of India which was lit
up on the occasion with G20 logo projection.
An excursion to the famous Kanheri
Caves in Mumbai has also been planned for the visiting delegates.