EAM: Choose peace for a collective future

VARANASI: External affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar urged G20 member countries to choose peace, cooperation and multilateralism to build a collective future.
In his address at the G20 Development Ministers' Meeting in Varanasi on Monday, he said, "It is essential that we constantly strengthen the international architecture and governance systems for the protection of global order, global laws, and global values."
The G20 needs to play a key role in assuring that this higher purpose remains well within our grasp, said Jaishankar adding that the action plan that was adopted here today in Varanasi would provide such a roadmap for the G20 to galvanise the critical momentum and ambition for these efforts.
On unprecedented and multiple crises in the world today, Jaishankar said, from the pandemics to disruptions in supply chains, from the impact of conflict to climate events, our era is becoming more volatile and uncertain by the day.
"If progress towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs) was already falling short before Coivid-19, this has only been further exacerbated by it," said Jaishankar, adding that climate change also continues unabated, with a disproportionate impact on least developed countries and small island developing states.
Prospects for a global economic recovery remain dim amidst supply chain disruptions, prolonged debt crisis and pressures on energy, food and fertilizer security, he said.
"The Development Ministerial is an opportunity for us as the G20 to demonstrate solidarity on these developmental issues," he said.
Jaishankar also highlighted how India has put forward an ambitious 7-year action plan for accelerating progress on the SDGs.