Global South takes centre stage at B20 Summit, Jaishankar says 'reduced to being a consumer'

Indian External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday emphasized the pressing need to shift the international focus towards the Global South's concerns. Addressing the B20 Summit, an official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community, Jaishankar pointed out the inherent inequities and unevenness of the current international system, dominated by the Global North.

"This is naturally reflected in the composition of G20 as well. Perhaps this mattered less when the globalisation process appeared to offer more opportunities but as its inequities and unevenness became more apparent and then as we saw the Covid pandemic take a horrific toll across the world the need to focus on developing countries became more compelling," Jaishankar said.

He noted that the ongoing global challenges, including the repercussions of the Ukraine conflict on food, energy, and fertiliser security, have added to complexities.

"When India assumed the G20 Presidency last December, we were acutely conscious that most of the Global South would not be at the table when we meet. This mattered very much because the really urgent problems are those faced by them. To discuss the concerns without providing them a fair hearing appeared extremely unfair. India itself, so much a part of the Global South, couldn't stand by and let that happen," the Indian minister said.

"Therefore Indian Prime Minister Modi decided to convene the Voice of the Global South Summit in January this year. We heard about their challenges and priorities and these have been made central to the G20 agenda," he added.

Jaishankar stressed that the core mandate of the G20 – that is to promote economic growth and development – cannot advance if the crucial concerns of the Global South are not addressed.

He underlined that the Global South was reduced to being a consumer rather than a producer during the last three to four decades of globalisation.

"Their contribution very often was to provide resources for manufacturing elsewhere. They not only didn't reap the full benefits of economic change but often ended up saddled with unviable debts emanating from opaque initiatives."

Narendra Modi will today address the three-day B20 summit that started on 25 August. It is being attended by over 1,500 delegates from about 55 countries.