G20 and Bharat’s Presidency
The G20 is a crucial global forum comprising major economies, responsible for 85% of global GDP, 75% of world trade, and two-thirds of the global population. Bharat assumed the G20 Presidency in December 2022, aiming for inclusivity and collective action under the theme "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (One Earth. One Family. One Future). Bharat’s leadership in navigating challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and global instability, positioned it as a prominent international player.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Bharat emphasized inclusivity, ambition, resolution, and action in the G20. The troika, consisting of Indonesia, Bharat, and Brazil, reflected the leadership of developing nations. Bharat extended invitations to several guest countries and international organizations for collaborative efforts.
G20 priorities aligned with Bharat’s vision and included inclusive and sustainable growth, environmental sustainability (LiFE), women's empowerment, digital infrastructure for development, climate financing, circular economy, global food security, and energy. These priorities demonstrated Bharat’s commitment to addressing pressing global challenges while promoting its development on the international stage.
Y20: The Official Youth Engagement Group of G20 Bharat:
In addition to the G20 Working Groups, there were 10 Engagement Groups (EGs) representing various stakeholders, including think tanks, women, civil societies, youth, parliamentarians, labour, and businesses from G20 countries. These EGs, led by host country organizations, developed policy recommendations for G20 leaders. The Youth 20 (Y20) was an official G20 engagement group that provided young people a platform to voice their views and ideas to G20 leaders. The Y20 Summit 2023 was organized by the Department of Youth Affairs in collaboration with the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, focusing on five key themes:
1. Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation, and 21st Century Skills
2. Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance
3. Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an Era of No War
4. Health, Well-being, and Sports: Agenda for Youth
5. Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life
These themes highlighted Bharat’s leadership and commitment to addressing global issues and making the G20 summit more inclusive.
Democratization of the G20 Presidency:
Since the G20 presidency lay with Bharat, the "Mother of Democracy," Y20 Bharat carried forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the democratization of the G20 presidency. The Y20 Bharat Secretariat engaged youth organizations, universities, and colleges across the country through over 2,500 outreach events, including but not limited to Y20 Talks, Chaupals, roundtable discussions, consultancy events, and Model G20 events. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Itanagar, events were held in every corner of Bharat, encompassing private and government institutions, ashrams, mandirs, auditoriums, and stadiums, aiming to provide fair and equitable representation to youth from all parts of the country.
These events witnessed the participation of over a million youths, whose voices played a critical role in shaping the Y20 White Papers, negotiations, and the Y20 communique. Furthermore, the events were not limited to the geographical boundaries of Bharat but were also held in other G20 countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. The events were coordinated by the Y20 Bharat Secretariat, but it was the karyakartas of the Vidhyarthi Parishad and its various aayams that were the flag bearers, making it possible for the Secretariat to organize thousands of outreach events in such a short span of time.
The Y20 Summit: Consensus Building and Release of the Communique:
The final Y20 summit was held in Bharat’s spiritual capital, Varanasi. After the pre-summits, the discussions were resumed at the summit. The discussions were held under five tracks, corresponding to the themes of Y20. After two days of negotiations for the Y20 Communique, several key contentious points persisted among delegations, obstructing consensus. Recognizing the urgency, the Y20 Presidency organized overnight negotiations involving the Heads of Delegation from all member and invitee countries. Negotiations ran from midnight until 9 AM, with Bharat’s assistance in brokering compromises on key issues, making progress toward a Communique.
However, a deadlock emerged over a few proposals, causing some delegations to consider a "No Communique" scenario. Amidst this crisis, the Delegation, along with other Delegations, remained committed. After hours of diligent efforts and numerous proposals, a compromise was achieved, supported by the Y20 Secretariat's constant inputs. Despite attempts to derail the process, the Y20 Communique was successfully finalized with consensus. This outcome was a testament to Bharat’s unwavering dedication to a successful Y20 Presidency. Due to the Presidency’s constant efforts, The Y20 Communique represented the voices of the Global South and Advocated the National interests of Bharat and the G20 countries.
In conclusion, the Y20 Communique, crafted through tireless negotiations and unwavering commitment during the Y20 Summit, stands as a testament to Bharat’s dedication to the democratization of the G20 presidency and its commitment to representing the voices of the Global South. It reflects the spirit of inclusivity and cooperation that Bharat brought through its G20 leadership. The Communique not only advocates for the national interests of Bharat but also encompasses the aspirations and concerns of all G20 members and invitee countries. It demonstrates the power of dialogue, compromise, and collective action in addressing pressing global challenges, as well as the role of the youth in shaping the future. Through its determined efforts, Y20 Bharat has not only enriched the G20 process but has also left a lasting legacy in the form of a Communique that embodies the ideals of unity, progress, and shared responsibility on the global stage.
(This report was jointly prepared by SH. RAJ SHEKAR (Research and Policy Associate, Policy and Research Team, Y20 Bharat; Student, National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, Jharkhand, Bharat and DR. MANISH MULCHANDANI (Research Associate, Policy and Research Team, Y20 Bharat; Alumnus, AIIMS, New Delhi, Bharat)