Jammu, Sgr, Leh, Kargil to hold series of meetings
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: As Prime Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the logo, theme and website of India’s G-20 presidency tomorrow, the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will also gear up to hold a number of meetings of the first-ever international event in past quite some time as the two Union Territories have been selected as venues to host foreign diplomats.
In this connection, the administration of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has been sounded by the External Affairs Ministry for hosting the crucial meetings pertaining to G-20 while the main Summit will be held in New Delhi in October-November 2023, official sources told the Excelsior.
The MEA said the G-20 presidency offers a unique opportunity to India to contribute to the global agenda on pressing issues of international importance.
It added that the logo, theme and website of India’s G-20 presidency would reflect the country’s “message and overarching priorities” to the world.
India will assume the presidency of the powerful grouping from current chair Indonesia on December 1.The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.
It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (EU).
“The Prime Minister will unveil the logo, theme and website of India’s G20 presidency on November 8 at 4:30 pm via video-conferencing,” the MEA said.
The G20 summit will take place in Bali on November 15-16 and Modi is set to be among the top leaders attending it.
During the course of its G20 Presidency, India will be holding about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across India. The G20 Summit to be held next year, would be one of the highest profile international gatherings to be hosted by India.
Among nearly 200 meetings across India, a number of them will be held in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh culminating with the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in October/ November 2023.
“Exact number of meetings to be hosted in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is yet to be finalized by the MEA but the number is likely to be significant. The meetings will be held in Jammu and Kashmir divisions in the UT of J&K as well as Leh and Kargil districts in the UT of Ladakh,” the sources said.
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been asked to gear up well in advance for hosting the meetings. A couple of months back, the two Union Territories had appointed Nodal Officers for making all preparations for the meetings.
The G-20 Secretariat is in the process of finalizing a draft calendar of G-20 meetings and the venues involved. An initial draft has already been shared with the UTs as it provides a list of the shortlisted cities to enable States/UTs to initiate plans accordingly.
The final calendar would be shared shortly along with the venues for the meeting, cultural events and planned excursion sites, if any, the sources said.
“Engagement and support of the States and UTs would be required at every stage of hosting the meetings including guidance and facilitation on identification of venues, accommodation of delegates and cultural events, visits to excursion sites, security, visa and immigration facilitation of delegates, transport and other logistical arrangements, preparation of delegation kits to showcase unique handicrafts and artistic heritage of the State/UT etc,” the sources said.
As a matter of fact, they added, hosting of G-20 meetings in any State/UT would be an opportunity to showcase their development, infrastructure, culture and heritage to the world.
As reported earlier, the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have nominated Nodal Officers for making preparations for G-20 meetings. Sources said both the UTs are set to host series of meetings of G-20 out of a total of 200 proposed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Sources said that conduct of such an event in Jammu and Kashmir especially in the Valley will show that the UT is near normal and capable of holding international events of grand scale especially after abrogation of special status of erstwhile State.
Meanwhile, the MEA said: “Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the foreign policy of India has been evolving to undertake leadership roles on the global stage’’.
India is currently part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G-20 presidencies) comprising Indonesia, Italy and India.
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