View: Let multilateralism win the day
multilateralism has been a hallmark of India’s G20 Presidency, which is now entering its final lap. The concluding paragraphs of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration reiterated a commitment to the G20’s continued operation “in the spirit of multilateralism, on the basis of consensus, with all members participating on an equal footing in all its events…”.
It was this very “spirit of multilateralism” which carried the day at the New Delhi G20 Summit. This spirit must pervade the functioning of the G20 and all other multilateral groupings in the coming years.
In Delhi, the G20 chose to convey a message of standing together for collective interests, rather than letting hardline positions on specific issues hold a veto.
It must be recognised that such a favourable outcome would not have been possible without a commitment to the core principles of multilateralism.
The United Nations recognises consultation, inclusion and solidarity as the three foundational pillars of multilateral cooperation.
In addition, collective decision-making lies at the heart of multilateralism. India deserves full praise for leading from the front in adhering to these principles, which formed the basis for bringing the fractured group together and achieving the breakthrough G20 success.
This spirit of multilateralism was showcased first and foremost by the admission of the African Union (AU) into the G20 fold, among other initiatives.
The inclusion of the AU in the G20 is a firm expression of solidarity with and inclusion of African priorities in the international economic development agenda.
This was long overdue.
The AU’s inclusion is aligned with the principles of multilateral cooperation, representing both an enhancement of the quantitative
