125 countries call for addressing triple challenge of food, fuel, fertiliser shortage

The world is now facing an unprecedented crisis of food, fuel and fertiliser and the most acute impact of this is felt in the Global South, minister from 125 countries have recently expressed their concern.

The ministers, in the just concluded Voice of Global South Summit, have urged the international community to address the challenge immediately amid the global economic slowdown.

They also called for renewed and inclusive multilateralism that reflects contemporary realities, according to the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

In the foreign ministers’ session, the ministers expressed concern over the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape and exchanged perspectives on how to create a conducive environment for the development priorities of the Global South.

India hosted the two-day summit which began on January 12. The summit was held in a virtual format with 10 sessions in total.

It saw the participation of leaders and ministers from 125 countries of the Global South including Bangladesh.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the inaugural session on 12 January.

This was followed by eight ministerial-level thematic segments dedicated to addressing the most pressing concerns of the developing world.

The summit wrapped up on 13 January with a concluding leaders’ session also hosted by the Indian prime minister.

The energy ministers’ session emphasised the criticality of energy security for global growth and human development.

Access to energy amidst increasing instability, ensuring energy affordability through diversification of energy sources, sharing best practices to develop renewables and alternate energy and harnessing the potential of biofuels were the main themes of interaction.

In the commerce or trade ministers’ session, the ministers shared strategies for improving the business and investment climate in developing countries, upgrading connectivity and commerce, ensuring access to critical technologies and resources, fostering grass-roots innovation and sharing of best practices and diversification of supply chains.

The ministers agreed that a sustainable post-pandemic recovery would be contingent on simplifying procedures, implementing technology-based solutions, investing in infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to global markets.

In the health ministers’ session, participants emphasised the need to adopt an inclusive approach to global health security.

Ways and means to develop digital public goods in healthcare, promote traditional medicine, build public capacities and develop regional networks, and knowledge sharing were discussed.

The ministers were particularly appreciative of India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative during the Covid pandemic as a substantive reflection of South-South cooperation.

In the education ministers’ session, ideas to transform developing countries into knowledge-based societies that can create future-ready workforces were shared.

The Ministers spoke about the need to share best practices in vocational training, capacity building and the use of technology to provide equity and quality in education.

India shared its national education policy built on the foundational pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability.

In the session dedicated to sharing ideas for India’s G20 Presidency, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared India’s key priorities for its G20 presidency and also assured that India would work to ensure that the valuable inputs generated from partner countries in the Voice of Global South Summit receive due cognizance globally, including in G20 deliberations.

Participating countries recognized with appreciation that the summit produced fruitful conversations and charted a new path through an action oriented agenda that strives to address their priorities and challenges.

They underscored the agenda and quest for solutions to global challenges must include the voices of its biggest stakeholders, the Global South.

In the finance ministers’ session, ministers exchanged views on financing the development needs of the Global South, achieving financial inclusion, implementing digital public goods in the financial sector, and developing partnerships that are outcome-oriented and financially sustainable.

The environment ministers’ session focused attention on balancing growth with sustainability, sharing best practices in ecological conservation, and the importance of LiFE, or lifestyle for the environment launched by the Prime Minister in October 2022.

The ministers also called for accelerated climate action and delivery of climate finance and loss and damage funding to deal with growing climate impacts.