India G20 Presidency delivers; New Delhi Declaration calls for strong, inclusive, sustainable, balanced economic growth

The leaders of the G20 countries adopted a unanimous G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration on September 9 which committed to accelerate strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. The consensus document is considered to be a major feat for India's G20 Presidency.

The premier global forum for international economic cooperation, G20 resolved to act in concrete ways through partnerships to achieve this goal. The Leaders' declaration committed to accelerate the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pursue low-GHG/low-carbon emissions, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable development pathways by championing an integrated and inclusive approach and urgently accelerate actions to address development and climate challenges, promote Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), and conserve biodiversity, forests and oceans.

The declaration also included commitments to improve access to medical countermeasures and facilitate more supplies and production capacities in developing countries to prepare better for future health emergencies and promote resilient growth by urgently and effectively addressing debt vulnerabilities in developing countries.

Scale up financing from all sources for accelerating progress on sustainable development goals (SDGs), accelerate efforts and enhance resources towards achieving the Paris Agreement, including its temperature goal, pursuing reforms for better, bigger and more effective Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to address global challenges to maximise developmental impact, improve access to digital services and digital public infrastructure, and leverage digital transformation opportunities to boost sustainable and inclusive growth were among the commitments made in the Declaration.

The other key commitments made included promotion of sustainable, quality, healthy, safe and gainful employment, closing gender gaps and promote the full, equal, effective and meaningful participation of women in the economy as decision-makers, better integration of the perspectives of developing countries, including LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, into future G20 agenda and strengthen the voice of developing countries in global decision making.