Assam: G-20 delegates visit Kaziranga ahead of first series of events

INTERNATIONAL DESK: With Assam all set to host the first series of G20 events from Thursday, a G20 delegation arrived in Golaghat district to experience the adventurous jeep safari at the Bagori and Kohora ranges of the Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The delegates were given a grand welcome on their arrival at the national park on Wednesday morning. G-20 delegates visit Kaziranga ahead of the first series of events

Prior to the jeep safari, the delegates visited the Kaziranga Convention Centre at Kohora where they were briefed about the various wildlife-friendly initiatives and activities undertaken for the conservation of wildlife by the Kaziranga National Park authorities.

Notably, India is hosting the G20 summit for the first time after assuming the presidency from Indonesia on December 1, 2022, with the theme of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future”.

India holds the presidency of the G20 from December 2022 to November 2023.

The G20 or Group of 20 is one of the world’s leading platforms for international economic cooperation. It is made up of 19 countries and the European Union.

G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.

As part of the current G20 summit, four meetings will be held in Guwahati and one in Dibrugarh. The meetings in Guwahati will be held from February 2 to 3, 2023, from February 6 to 8, 2023, from March 13 to15, 2023 and from April 3 to 5, 2023 and in Dibrugarh from March 24 to 25, 2023.

It may be noted that the first Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) meeting will be held at Hotel Radisson Blu here from February 2.

The two-day meeting will be attended by 94 delegates from the member countries of G20, guest countries, different international organisations and also officials from the central government.

The agenda of the first day’s programme includes a yoga session and three SFWG sessions. The programme will culminate with a river cruise, cultural event and dinner.

The programme on the second day will also comprise a yoga session, three-side event sessions, a fourth SFWG session and conclude with a dinner for delegates at the Brahmaputra Heritage Centre.

The Youth 20 Inception meeting will be attended by 250 delegates on February 7 and 8 at Hotel Radisson Blu and IIT, Guwahati.

Moreover, 400 students from various academic institutions in Assam will also participate in the Youth 20 Inception meeting.

This is the first of the various meetings to be held on the five Y 20 themes across India in the run-up to the final Y20 summit in August 2023.

The Youth 20 meeting will focus on five themes – “Peace Building and Reconciliation”, “Future of Work Industry”, “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction”, “Youth in Democracy and Governance” and “Health Wellbeing and Sports”.

Preparations to welcome the foreign delegates to Assam are complete with the capital city of Guwahati adorned with digital wall painting, thematic gates, flags of G20 countries, LED cut-outs, standees, hoardings et al, as part of branding and beautification.

The Assam government has also completed the arrangements for excursions for delegates to places of importance such as Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Brahmaputra River Island and Brahmaputra Heritage Centre.

The tour programme will help in promoting rich bio-diversity and socio-cultural heritage in the international arena. (East Mojo)