G20 conference fantastically organised by India: German Ambassador

INTERNATIONAL DESK: German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, on Monday said that G20 under the Indian presidency was a fantastically organised conference and everybody was happy with the context.

“G20 under current circumstances is a difficult business…but I can say that the Indian side did that masterfully. It was very under the circumstances, it was a fantastically organized and fantastic setup conference. Everybody was happy with the context. My minister had a couple of very good bilaterals on the side. When she left, she was very happy also,” Ackermann said.

The German envoy said he regrets that the geopolitical situation was overshadowing everything else in the G20.

“On the G20, I would say, unfortunately, the Russians and the Chinese did not allow communique because they didn’t accept any more the language of Bali they had accepted earlier. That is a shame because I think the Indian chair presented a very interesting draft and we negotiated for quite a while. But like in Bangalore, the Russians and the Chinese have made that communique impossible. I regret that it is clear that the geopolitical situation was overshadowing everything else in the G 20,” the German envoy said.

“But I have to say I was following attentively what people say. I’m very glad that other items also came on the agenda, like food security, like poverty reduction, like climate change. Everything was on the agenda as well. And again, I must say I admire the Indian chair in doing under these circumstances and coming up with a very interesting conference. Thank you. Thank you very much. Especially in all these groups,” Ackermann added.

On the Raisina Dialogue, which was organised in Delhi from March 2-4, he said, “And then of course, there was this big Raisina movement in India where also a couple of German parliamentarians came and what I get from their impressions is that it was a great success.”

“So kudos to the Indian side, kudos to Indian protocol. First and foremost because they did a fantastic job,” Ackermann said.

He said Indians have had a very hectic week with the G20 and the German chancellor’s visit.

“Our Indian friends had a ten times more hectic week and I just want to make that clear that…the Indian side has done outstanding work on every level. So I think we had an excellent Chancellor’s visit. I must say we were highly satisfied.

The Chancellor left India after a day in Delhi and a day in Bangalore with the best feelings and the best impressions and I think the purpose of the visit was completely fulfilled. The Prime Minister was, as expected, a very gracious host,” he said.

He said there is a clear commitment from the German business to invest more in India. “And we’ll see in the next weeks and months, we’ll see a lot of engagement from the German side,” he said. (ANI)