ROME: G20 Sherpa, Shri Piyush Goyal holds Special Briefing from Rome

ROME: On the eve of the G 20 Summit,
India’s Leadership on global concerns and its views on a wide array of issues
receive strong support – Shri Piyush Goyal

Agenda of the ongoing Sherpas’ meeting is to finalize the Rome Declaration,
which will be adopted by the Leaders at the G20 Summit – Shri Goyal

Happy to get support from G20 colleagues on mutual recognition of travel
documents, including testing and vaccine certificates- Shri Goyal

For Sustainable Development and food security, India has insisted that policies
must protect interests of small and marginal farmers, conserve local food
cultures which in turn will ensure food security – Shri Piyush Goyal

India supports the need for critical enablers for galvanizing global Climate
action like commensurate, long term, concessional climate finance, access to
affordable and sustainable technology, and commitment to adopt sustainable
lifestyles and responsible and consumption patterns – Shri Goyal

India is ensuring that there is no premature withdrawal of support for post
Covid Economic Recovery and the most vulnerable sections are provided necessary
support – Shri Goyal

G20 has agreed to extend the Debt Service Suspension initiative till the end of
2021 thereby giving some breathing space to those in need and vulnerable around
the world – Shri Piyush Goyal

Shri Piyush Goyal shares updates on PM Modi’s participation in the upcoming
16th G-20 Summit on 30-31 Oct in Rome

G -20 has
acknowledged India’s Leadership on global concerns and has supported views of
India on wide array of issues which would come up on the upcoming summit”
said Shri Piyush Goyal while briefing the media during the ongoing meeting of G
20 Sherpas.

It may be noted that that the agenda of the ongoing Sherpas’ meeting is to
finalize the Rome Declaration, which will be adopted by the Leaders at the
Summit.

It may be noted that PM Modi has been invited by the PM of Italy, H.E. Mr.
Mario Draghi, and has arrived in Rome earlier this morning. This is PM’s 8th
G20 Summit.

Shri Piyush Goyal has been in Rome for the past 3 days to oversee final
preparations for PM’s participation in the G20 Summit

In Italy, Shri Piyush Goyal participated in the 6th G20 Sherpas’ meeting from
27-29 Oct and held bilateral meetings with many of his G20 counterparts (UK,
Germany, France, EU, Indonesia and Singapore)

Shri Goyal said that G20 has emerged as the premier global forum for
international cooperation. He said that G 20 represents 80% of the world’s GDP,
75% of global trade, and 60% of the world’s population

It may be noted that Italy is holding the Presidency of the G20 this year under
the theme- ‘People, Planet, Prosperity’ with a focus on: “Recovery from
the pandemic & strengthening global health governance, Economic recovery
& resilience, Climate change & energy transition and Sustainable
development & food security”

Speaking to the media Shri Goyal said that India fully supports the priority
areas chosen by Italy. He said that the agenda of the just concluded Sherpas’
meeting was to finalize the Rome Declaration, which will be adopted by the
Leaders at the G20 Summit

The Minister said that the G20 has endorsed India’s position that extensive
COVID-19 immunization is a global public good and he was happy to get support
from G20 colleagues for his suggestion on mutual recognition of travel docs,
including testing and vaccine certificates.

On the issue of Sustainable Development and food security, he said that India
has emphasized that policies must protect interests of small and marginal
farmers, and conserve local food cultures which in turn will significantly
contribute to food security

Shri Goyal said that On Climate Change and Environment, India has strongly
spoken on the need for critical enablers for galvanizing global Climate action
which includes commensurate, long term, concessional climate finance, access to
affordable and sustainable technology, and commitment to adopt sustainable
lifestyles, responsible consumption and production patterns and importance of
meeting SDG-12 targets, especially by the developed countries.

On the issue of post- Covid economic recovery, he said, as co-chairs of the G20
Framework Working Group, India is ensuring that there is no premature
withdrawal of support and the most vulnerable sections are provided necessary
support. G20 has agreed to extend the Debt Service Suspension Initiative till
the end of 2021 thereby giving some breathing space to those in need and those
who are vulnerable around the world.

Shri Goyal added that on the issue of Tax Reforms , India has pushed the G20 to
address the mismatch between source of generation of profits and the
jurisdiction where they are taxed. This will ensure that large MNCs pay a
minimum effective corporate tax in the country of their operation.

Elaborating more on the deliberations, Shri Goyal said that on Anti-Corruption
matters , India as the G20 co chair of the Anti Corruption working group this
year, has contributed towards the 5 think pieces related to Asset Recovery,
Information sharing, Law Enforcement Cooperation, Technology & Denial of
Safe Haven.

On the issues concerning Women Empowerment, Education and Employment , the
Minister for Commerce & Industry Textiles, Consumer Afairs, Food and Public
Distribution, said that India supports G20’s emphasis on women’s empowerment.
India has strongly advocated for the inclusion of language against gender-based
violence and supported the new policy framework of G20 on ‘remote working
arrangements’

Shri Goyal added that India highlighted the importance of recovery of the
Tourism sector especially given the impact of COVID-19 on this sector. India
welcomes G20’s focus on creative economy and preserving cultural heritage.

The Minister said that India strongly pushed for the need for balancing the
‘data free flow with trust’ narrative with cross border data flows and
accommodating development imperatives of the developing countries. He added
that India has emphasized the importance of using ‘data for development’.

The Minister emphasized that India’s voice in G20 represents the voice of all
developing countries.

He noted that It was following PM Modi’s suggestion to the Saudi Leadership in
2020 that, G20 convened an extraordinary Summit on the COVID-19 situation last
year

This year, Italy convened a special summit to leverage the G20’s influence in
addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. G20 also focused on the
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially the rights of
women, children, minorities and vulnerable people in Afghanistan, according to
the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and other relevant international
instruments.

Shri Goyal said that India is going to take on the G20 Presidency during 1 Dec,
2022-30 Nov 2023 and enter the Troika in December this year and will take
leadership on the issues and concerns of developing countries and emerging market
economies in the G20 forum.