Varanasi: The second day of the 3-day G20 Development Ministers' meeting in Uttar Pradesh began at the Trade Facilitation Center in Varanasi on Monday. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is chairing the meeting. Officials said that the programme began at 9:30 am this morning. The 2nd day of the maiden G20 meeting in Uttar Pradesh will begin with a video address from PM Modi on the occasion.
Various dignitaries including Foreign Minister S Jaishankar are participating in the meeting. The maiden G20 conference started in Varanasi on Jun. 11 Sunday. The conference will conclude on June 13. Sources said Jaishankar arrived in Kashi on Sunday. It is learnt that Jaishankar had breakfast at the house of a Dalit worker.
Also read: Jaishankar welcomes delegates at G20 Development Ministers' Meeting in Varanasi
Meanwhile Kashi has been decorated like a bride to welcome the foreign guests on the occasion. Various cultural programs are being held to acquaint the foreign delegates with India's cultural heritage. The Varanasi Development Ministers’ Meeting is being held to chalk out a strategy to tackle developmental challenges amid an economic slowdown, debt distress, climate change, growing poverty and inequality, food and energy insecurity and other geo-political conflicts and tensions.
The G20 development ministers meeting in Varanasi is a precursor to the United Nations SDG Summit scheduled in September in New York. The Varanasi G20 meeting comes after the Voice of the Global South Summit hosted by India in January this year. The meeting will consist of two main sessions, one on "Multilateralism: Collective Actions for Accelerating Progress towards SDGs” and another on "Green Development: A Life (Lifestyle for Environment) Approach”.
