India giving voice to 'voiceless' Global South at G20: Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi

India is highlighting problems faced by the 'not-so-prosperous' countries, External Affairs Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi said. Global South is a term used to refer to the developing or least developed countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania, except Australia and New Zealand.

New Delhi [India] : India has emerged as the voice of the almost “voiceless group” of countries of the Global South and at the G20 forum and it is highlighting problems faced by the 'not-so-prosperous' countries, External Affairs Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi said. India, which represents the Global South, is in the right position to engage in conversation with G20 nations and talk about the needs of the underdeveloped nations which are "very rich in resources, Lekhi said in an exclusive interview to ANI.

India has since the start of its current Presidency of the G20 focused on putting forward concerns of the Global South - which is a term used to refer to the developing or least developed countries. Global South includes countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania, except Australia and New Zealand.

On India emerging as the voice of Global South, Lekhi said the G20 is a “very important group” of 20 countries, which controls about 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population, and whose polices has the capacity to impact the whole world but “none in the room is speaking the language of rest of the countries. So (it is) 20 versus 120. So the voice of 120 countries that represent Global South is not reaching this place that is engaging in policy making."

The minister pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured that India plays a crucial role in addressing the concerns of the Global South. "So just before G-20 started, Prime Minister Modi had led a south forum in which he had a conversation with Global South," Lekhi said referring to the ‘Voice of Global South Summit’ hosted by India in January this year.

No policy will succeed unless and until "have-ones and have-nots" come together, Lekhi said. "India's initiative to shine a light on problems faced by Global South has brought the right nuance in the conversation at the (G-20) forum," the Union Minister said. G20 becomes very relevant because India has chosen to showcase the leadership of the global south, the minister said.

"All the leaders from Global South and this group were almost like voiceless groups. So India chose to become the voice of the voiceless, to represent their voice. We also represent the Global South because we are 1.4 billion people. So policies that impact lives, livelihoods, people, and resources, have to be discussed. Climate change, sustainable development, food for all, food security, food, fertilizer, fuel security," Lekhi said.

"India is in the right position to engage in conversation with G20 nations and talk about the needs of not-so-prosperous nations but is very rich in resources," the external affairs minister of state said. The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom and United States and the European Union.