According to Ruchira Kamboj, India’s permanent representative to the UN, Africa has participated in the G20 presidency now being held by India at a record-high level.
The G20 has consistently given attention to Africa in recent years. However, given India’s track record of magnifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries, the G20 Presidency of India is quite special. While speaking at the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development 2023, the Ambassador brought this up. The UN’s New York headquarters hosted the 2023 ECOSOC Financing for Development (FfD) Forum from April 17–20.
In addition, the multiple G20 gatherings taking place in India aim to address the problems facing the Global South and the entire world. With its “Voice of the Global South Summit” and other initiatives, India has been able to better represent the problems, worries, and aspirations of the African continent.
According to NewsonAir, the African continent is particularly interested in India’s priorities, which include inclusive digital infrastructure and climate change, as well as the various issues it is considering, including multilateral reforms, food and energy security, counterterrorism, new and emerging threats, global skill mapping, and disaster risk reduction.
Notably, the G20’s initiatives in the fields of health and education are important for the countries of Africa. Another problem that is vital for India and the Global South is giving multilateral development bank reforms top priority. Additionally, according to Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, “Digital technology can be a key tool for inclusion, advance governance, better service delivery, and promote inclusion of all sections of society.” The G20 has been focusing on two major priority areas: digital public infrastructure and digital skills.
Around 1.37 billion people communicate for Africa, and excluding them from decision-making processes is bad for the sustainability of global economic growth.
A research by Gurjit Singh of the Observer Research Foundation claims that India’s G20 leadership may further strengthen India’s African strategy. A revamped Africa policy, with India serving as the voice of the Global South (VOGS), will enhance the G20 Presidency.
The successful India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS III), which included representatives from all 54 African nations, kicked off a revitalization of the continent’s policy under the Modi era. The declaration of the 10 principles for Africa in Uganda in 2018 and Modi’s trips to Africa in 2016 and 2018 were significant undertakings. These need to be reevaluated in the wake of the epidemic and the Ukraine situation. This is shown by the External Affairs Minister’s (EAM) visits to Mozambique and Uganda. He will have the chance to travel to other African nations while in South Africa for the BRICS ministers summit.
Speak up for Africa in particular since India is the voice of the Global South.
Africa suffered greatly as a result of the pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine. African nations’ involvement in the VOGS meeting demonstrated their aspirations and the potential for those expectations to be met through India’s G20 presidency.
Africa and India have a rich history of cultural exchange and mutually beneficial relationships. According to NewsonAir, other important factors that are bolstering the relationship between India and the African continent include anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the concept of “South-South” collaboration.