00:00The state of the world is a cause for mounting concern for member states.
00:05They include the shocks of the COVID pandemic, two major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza,
00:13extreme climate events, volatility in trade, uncertainty in investment flows and interest
00:22rates, and the catastrophic slowing down of the SDG agenda. In face of such proliferation
00:29of concerns and multiplicity of risks, it is natural that the global south would turn
00:35to multilateralism for solutions. Unfortunately, there too we are presented with a very disappointing
00:43prospect. The very concept of multilateralism is under attack. Thank you all for joining us
00:50this afternoon. We meet in increasingly uncertain times when the state of the world is a cause for
01:01mounting concern for member states. The global south, in particular, is confronted with a set
01:09of challenges which have heightened in the first half of this decade. They include the shocks of
01:16the COVID pandemic, two major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, extreme climate events, volatility in
01:26trade, uncertainty in investment flows and interest rates, and the catastrophic slowing down of the SDG
01:35agenda. Most of all, the rights and expectations of developing countries in the international system,
01:43which has been so assiduously developed over many, many decades, are today under challenge.
01:52In face of such proliferation of concerns and multiplicity of risks, it is natural that the
01:59global south would turn to multilateralism for solutions. Unfortunately, there too we are presented
02:07with a very disappointing prospect. The very concept of multilateralism is under attack. International
02:15organizations are being rendered ineffective or starved of resources. The building blocks of the
02:22contemporary order are starting to come apart, and the costs of delaying much-needed reforms is today
02:30starkly visible. So, as like-minded global south countries, we today approach world affairs united and
02:41through a broad set of principles and concepts, and these include, one, fair and transparent economic
02:49practices that democratize production and enhance economic security. A stable environment for balanced and
02:58sustainable economic interactions, including more south-south trade investment and technology
03:05collaborations. Resilient, reliable, and shorter supply chains that would reduce dependence on any single
03:15supplier or on any single market. An urgent resolution of conflicts that are impacting food, fertilizer, and energy
03:25security. The protection of global commons, including addressing maritime shipping concerns, HADR
03:32situations, environmental challenges, etc. A collaborative leveraging of technology for development, especially the
03:41creation of a digital public infrastructure. And a fair and level playing field in different domains that do
03:48justice to the development concerns of global south. Excellencies, friends, to get to get there, India would propose the
03:58following points for your collective consideration. One, we utilize existing forums to strengthen
04:05consultations among global south with a view to enhance solidarity and encourage collaboration. Two, bring to the table
04:14specific strengths, experiences, and achievements that we may have individually developed, but which can actually
04:23benefit fellow global south members. Some good examples of these are vaccine production, digital capabilities,
04:32education capacities, agro practices, and SME culture. Three, in areas like climate action and climate justice,
04:44come up with initiatives that serve the global south rather than justify the global north. Four, discuss the promise of
04:53technologies on the horizon, especially AI. And five, reform the United Nations and multilateralism as a whole. So, with those thoughts, I look forward to hearing from you all. And once again, I really thank you. I think all of us
05:13know what a busy time this is that we move from meeting to meeting. And I think any time which any of us commit is a
05:23is a statement in itself. So, again, I want to say how pleased I am to see you all this evening. And back to you.
05:35Well, welcome back to you.
05:43I decided to re-
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