G20 Sherpas meet in Kumarakom for ‘free and frank discussions’

Top officials of the world’s 20 largest economies began deliberations in Kumarakom on Friday to assess work done so far under India’s G20 presidency and to chart the way forward in tackling pressing global challenges such as rising debt and food and energy security.

The G20 Sherpas or personal envoys of heads of state and government and top officials of multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and World Bank are participating in four sessions spread over Friday and Saturday. The tricky issue of negotiating a consensus outcome document for the G20 Summit to be held in September is set to come up on Saturday.

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant is guiding the deliberations at these sessions and all the sherpas, representatives of multilateral bodies and officials from nine guest countries invited by India will participate in the discussions behind closed doors at a convention centre at the scenic KTDC resort on the banks of Vembanad lake.

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In his brief opening remarks, Kant said he was looking forward to “free and frank discussions”. Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan, who also addressed the opening session, highlighted the importance of the Kottayam district as an important trading centre for spices and rubber. Kottayam accounts for 35% of India’s natural rubber production.

Muraleedharan said India’s G20 theme of “One earth, one family, one future”, has found resonance around the world because of its inclusive message. India has so far hosted 54 official meetings under the G20 framework in more than 25 cities across the country.

He said India’s G20 priorities include green development, climate finance, accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth, accelerating progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), technological transformation and public digital infrastructure and creating multilateral institutions of the 21st century.

The sherpas’ meeting will take stock of the work done so far and deliberate on the way forward for achieving “ambitious and agreed outcomes”, Muraleedharan said.

The first session of discussions on Friday focused on technological transformation in the digital economy, health, education, tourism and culture, while the second will look at accelerated and resilient growth and women-led development. The second session will take in agriculture, trade and investment and anti-corruption.

During the lunch break, sherpas of different countries also held bilateral meetings on a large houseboat moored on the bank of the lake. Barring China, France and the US, all the other G20 members have sent their sherpas for the meeting in Kumarakom.

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Following the two sessions, Kant and the other sherpas will hold “Kayal” or sofa talks on a houseboat as it makes its way around the lake. These talks in a more informal setting will allow the sherpas to take up more tricky and contentious issues, people familiar with the matter said.

“These deliberations will take stock of all the work that has been done by working groups in the sherpa and finance tracks, and also chart the way forward for upcoming meetings. The Indian sherpa will brief counterparts about India’s position and expectations,” an official said on condition of anonymity.

The divisions created by the Ukraine crisis, however, continue to loom over the G20, though the Indian side has been insisting that it will focus on an inclusive agenda and push the grouping to take up more challenging global issues such as debt burden, inflation and slowing economic growth.