G20 adopts New Delhi Declaration

NEW DELHI,

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders Declaration, a significant victory for India’s G20 presidency that came amid increasing tensions and divergent views over the Ukraine conflict. The announcement about the consensus on the declaration and its subsequent adoption came hours after India circulated a new text to the G20 countries to describe the Ukraine conflict. “Friends, we have just got good news, with the hard work of our teams, and with the cooperation of you all, there is consensus on the New Delhi G20 Summit Leaders Declaration,” Modi told the leaders at the summit. “I announce that this declaration is adopted (Banged the gavel thrice),” he announced. Asserting that “today’s era must not be of war”, the New Delhi Declaration of G20 countries called on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty and said the peaceful resolution of conflicts as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical.

“Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety,” it said. The declaration, the adoption of which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the start of the second session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit under India’s Presidency, said that in line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.

“The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible,” it added. Reaffirming that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and recognising that while the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues, the G20 leaders acknowledged that these issues can have significant consequences for the global economy. “We highlighted the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation and growth, which has complicated the policy environment for countries, especially developing and least developed countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption which has derailed progress towards the SDGs.” “There were different views and assessments of the situation,” it noted. The declaration further said,”We appreciate the efforts of Turkiye and UN-brokered Istanbul Agreements consisting of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the Secretariat of the United Nations on Promoting Russian Food Products and Fertilizers to the World Markets and the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports (Black Sea Initiative).” It called for their full, timely and effective implementation to ensure the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine. “This is necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa,” it added.

Emphasising the importance of sustaining food and energy security, the G20 leaders called for the “cessation of military destruction or other attacks on relevant infrastructure”. “We call on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. “The peaceful resolution of conflicts and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical. “We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations in the spirit of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” it added. The G20 Leaders’ Summit is being attended by US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva among others. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not attending the summit.

Prime Minister Modi is chairing the G20 summit. “On this occasion, I convey my heartfelt thanks to ministers, sherpas and all officials who worked hard to make this possible and they are worthy of being praised,” Modi said.

Hailing the breakthrough, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant posted on X, “Historical & Path breaking #G20 Declaration with 100% consensus on all developmental and geo-political issues. The new geopolitical paras are a powerful call for Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity in todays world . Demonstrates PM @narendramodi leadership in today’s world.” It is understood that the G20 countries agreed on the new text to describe the Ukraine conflict that was circulated by India this morning. There was no consensus on the text to describe the Ukraine issue at the G20 Sherpa meeting that took place in Nuh district of Haryana from September 3-6. The G20 operates under the principle of consensus. Both Russia and China had agreed to the two paragraphs on the Ukraine conflict in the Bali declaration, but they backtracked from it this year creating difficulties for India. Almost all key meetings held under India’s G20 presidency including those of Finance and Foreign Ministers, could not come out with consensus documents in view of opposition from Russia and China to any text referring to the Ukraine conflict.