Shashi Tharoor commends G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant's 200-hour negotiations for consensus on G20 declaration

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Hindustan Times, citing media reports, India circulated the final draft to the G20 members on Friday night, saying if the group leaders did not agree to it, there would be no declaration. Speaking about the declaration, Amitabh Kant said that the most complex part of the entire G20 Summit was to bring consensus on the geopolitical paras which took more than 200 hours of non-stop negotiations. “The most complex part of the entire #G20 was to bring consensus on the geopolitical paras (Russia-Ukraine).

This was done over 200 hours of non -stop negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings, 15 drafts. In this, I was greatly assisted by two brilliant officers," Kant wrote on X. The G20 leaders, meeting in New Delhi, have unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration.

This declaration, according to India's G20 Sherpa, places a strong emphasis on several key priorities. These include fostering robust and sustainable economic growth, expediting advancements towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, establishing a green development pact to promote environmental sustainability, and revitalizing the spirit of multilateralism. The G20 Declaration is being hailed as both historic and groundbreaking.

Notably, it has secured unanimous consensus on all fronts, encompassing developmental and geopolitical matters. Kant highlighted the magnitude of this achievement, underscoring the pivotal role played by Prime Minister Modi in shaping the G20's agenda. He remarked that India's G20 Presidency has been marked by unparalleled ambition, evident in the 112 outcomes and presidency documents generated, effectively tripling the substantive output compared to prior presidencies.