TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
THE CONTEXT: Recently, India hosted the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit in a virtual format, focusing on the overarching theme “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future.”
EXPLANATION:
- The event was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India who also led the Inaugural Leaders’ Session.
- This summit marks a significant moment in India’s diplomatic efforts, reflecting its commitment to the development and empowerment of the Global South.
- The Voice of Global South Summit is an extension of India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One Earth, One Family, One Future) and embodies the Prime Minister’s vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas (Together with All, Development for All, Trust of All, Efforts of All).
- The summit serves as a platform for countries from the Global South to come together, discuss shared challenges, and forge a collective path forward.
- The 3rd edition of the summit was notable for its extensive participation, with 173 dignitaries from 123 countries representing the Global South.
- This included 21 Heads of State/Government, 34 Foreign Ministers, and 118 Ministers and Vice Ministers.
- The summit featured a total of 10 ministerial sessions, covering various sectors such as health, finance, energy, education, commerce, IT, youth, and environment.
- This summit was the first major plurilateral event hosted by Prime Minister since the formation of the new government on June 9, 2024.
- Its organization within the first 100 days of the new government underscores India’s commitment to advancing the collective developmental journey of the Global South.
- During the Inaugural Leaders’ Session, leaders from participating countries praised India’s democratic resilience, rapid development, and its role in uplifting the Global South.
- They emphasized the importance of continued engagement and cooperation among developing countries.
Addressing Global Challenges:
- Prime Minister highlighted the global challenges faced by the world, including the lingering effects of COVID-19, armed conflicts, climate change, and food and energy insecurities.
- The ongoing threats posed by terrorism, extremism, and separatism, as well as the failure of global governance and financial institutions to address the challenges of the 21st century has been pointed out.
- The Prime Minister stressed the need for unity among the countries of the Global South, urging them to speak with one voice and support each other in articulating their developmental priorities.
- Driven by a shared vision of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and embarking on a rapid developmental trajectory beyond 2030, Prime Minister proposed a comprehensive four-fold Global Development Compact.
- This compact includes elements such as trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, technology sharing, and project-specific concessional finance and grants.
India’s Commitment to the Global South:
- Prime Minister announced several significant initiatives to strengthen India’s development partnership with countries of the Global South.
- These include a USD 2.5 million fund to boost trade promotion activities and a USD 1 million fund for capacity building in trade policy and negotiation.
- Additionally, India committed to making affordable generic medicines available, supporting the training of drug regulators, and sharing technology and experiences in natural farming.
Reforming Global Governance:
- Prime Minister emphasized that solutions to global tensions and conflicts require just and inclusive global governance.
- He called for the reform of global institutions to prioritize the concerns of the Global South and urged developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities.
- He also highlighted the upcoming UN Summit of the Future as a critical milestone in this regard.
Ministerial Sessions and Key Discussions:
- The summit included several ministerial sessions that addressed a wide range of issues critical to the Global South:
- Foreign Ministers’ Sessions:
- External Affairs Minister highlighted the importance of strengthening economic resilience, facilitating energy transition, revitalizing multilateralism, and democratizing digital transformations.
- He also called for reforms in global governance and the need for the Global South to devise its own initiatives if the world does not respond adequately.
- Finance Ministers’ Session:
- Finance Minister advocated for the enhanced role of the Global South in shaping the future and promoting people-centric approaches.
- The session emphasized the need for development finance that supports the achievement of SDGs and discussed strategies for tackling debt distress and scaling up affordable long-term financing.
- Health Ministers’ Session:
- The session focused on the shared vision of One World-One Health, with discussions on strengthening global health architecture, integrating digital public infrastructure with health systems, and enhancing food security.
- Participants appreciated India’s role in advancing global health security and explored ways to improve healthcare accessibility and efficacy.
- Education Ministers’ Session:
- Discussions centered on creating human resources to accelerate the achievement of SDGs, promoting women-led development, and making education systems future-ready.
- Ministers exchanged views on integrating education, emerging technologies, and skill development to tackle challenges specific to the Global South.
- Youth Ministers’ Session:
- The session emphasized the need to empower youth as drivers of development and discussed strategies for quality education, vocational training, and digital inclusion.
- Participants highlighted the importance of fostering a start-up culture, preserving cultural traditions, and combating terrorism, extremism, and drug abuse.
- Trade Ministers’ Session:
- The focus was on inclusive trade practices, resilient supply chains, and technology transfer.
- Participants discussed the need for developing countries to become part of global value chains, support MSMEs, and ensure food security.
- IT Ministers’ Session:
- The session explored the potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) models to enhance governance, achieve SDGs, and improve service delivery.
- Participants agreed on the importance of interoperability among global DPI models and the transformative potential of responsible AI tools.
- Environment Ministers’ Session:
- Deliberations centered on mitigating climate change, with calls for climate justice, technology transfer, and capacity building.
- The importance of a circular economy, sustainable production and consumption, and people-driven approaches like Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) was emphasized.
- Energy Ministers’ Session:
- Participants reviewed the challenges of global energy markets and discussed steps to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technology.
- The session highlighted the need for sustainable financing and the role of traditional hydrocarbons in the energy mix, while also focusing on the development of alternate energy sources.
