00:00 As the National Capital of India adorns itself with ornamental flowers and fountains,
00:04 it eagerly prepares itself to host the 18th G20 Summit on September 9th and 10th.
00:09 This year, India holds the Presidency and is gearing up to welcome world leaders to New
00:14 Delhi's Bharat Mandapan International Exhibition Convention Center (IECC) situated at Pragati
00:20 Maidan. Hello everyone, my name is Zehnav Zalkutty and welcome to HW News English.
00:26 What exactly is the G20 Summit? The G20, officially known as Group of 20,
00:32 is an intergovernmental forum composed of 19 individual countries and the European Union.
00:37 Its primary mission is to address critical global economic issues,
00:41 including international financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable
00:45 development. Collectively, the G20 nations account for a staggering 80% of the world's
00:51 total gross domestic product i.e. the GDP, 75% of international trade, and approximately two-thirds
00:57 of the global population. Notably, the G20 does not have a fixed headquarters and the
01:02 Presidency rotates amongst its member states. These member countries include Argentina,
01:09 Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
01:16 Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
01:22 So, why is India hosting the summit this year? Originally, India was scheduled to host the G20
01:28 Summit in 2021 with Italy set to take the helm in 2022. However, at the 2018 G20 Buenos Aires Summit
01:36 in Argentina, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that Italy host the summit in 2021 and allow
01:42 India to host it in 2022, coinciding with the celebration of India's 75th year of independence.
01:48 Italy agreed to this exchange, a testament to the strengthening of bilateral ties between the
01:53 two nations. Subsequently, at the request of Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi,
01:59 India swapped its G20 Presidency with Indonesia as Indonesia was also slated to chair the
02:04 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2023. India's G20 Presidency officially commenced
02:12 on December 1, 2022, leading up to the summit scheduled for the third quarter of 2023,
02:17 marking the culmination of India's year-long leadership of the international forum.
02:22 What is the agenda for the G20 in 2023? India has chosen the theme 'Vasudeva Kutumbakam'
02:29 for its G20 Presidency, a profound Sanskrit phrase that translates to 'the world is one family'.
02:35 Throughout the year, the meetings are held in various cities across the host country,
02:39 encompassing a wide range of sectors, including health, tourism, finance, and more. These meetings
02:46 are organized under different tracks involving government officials and non-governmental actors,
02:52 such as civil society organizations. During India's Presidency, the G20 has placed its
02:58 focus on several critical topics, including extending loans to developing nations through
03:02 multilateral institutions, reshaping the international debt architecture, establishing
03:07 regulations for cryptocurrency, and assessing the impact of geopolitical uncertainties on food and
03:12 energy security. Notably, achieving consensus within the G20 has proven challenging this year,
03:19 particularly on issues related to the Ukrainian conflict. While Russia and China have expressed
03:24 reluctance to attribute blame to Moscow for the conflict in Ukraine, Western nations,
03:29 including the United States, France, and Canada, have insisted on strong condemnation as a
03:34 prerequisite for a united statement. Who will be attending and who won't?
03:39 According to the official G20 website, countries invited to the summit this year include Bangladesh,
03:44 Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
03:51 Confirmed attendees among world leaders include US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister
03:56 Justin Trudeau, while Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have
04:01 opted to skip the summit. This marks the first time a Chinese president will miss the G20 summit
04:08 since its inception in 2008. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Xi had participated
04:16 virtually. Additionally, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to attend, marking his
04:21 first official trip to India as the premier. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is likely
04:27 to lead criticism of Russia for the Ukraine war given Japan's current leadership of the G7.
04:32 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India is part of his three-nation tour,
04:38 which also includes Indonesia and the Philippines. French President Emmanuel
04:42 Macron is expected to attend and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
04:47 as reported by Indian media. Other attendees include South Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed
04:53 bin Salman, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, South Korean President Yoon Sung-kyo,
04:58 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, South African President
05:05 Cyril Ramaphosa, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, and Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu.
05:10 However, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador may not attend,
05:14 according to Indian media reports. As India takes centre stage to host the 18th G20 Summit,
05:20 the nation's capital blooms with floral splendour, symbolising the anticipation and
05:25 significance of this global event. The presence and absence of leaders at the summit reflect the
05:31 intricate web of geopolitics, highlighting the convergence of influential figures gathering to
05:36 engage in discussions on critical issues that profoundly impact our interconnected global
05:41 community. The G20, with its diverse membership and complex agenda, remains a vital platform
05:46 for addressing the challenges and opportunities facing our world in the 21st century.
05:51 That's all for now, for more such news updates follow HW News English. Thank you.
06:05 [Music]
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