Sikkim gears up for G20 meets, over 52 international delegates to participate

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Sikkim has received 52 international delegates and 50 Indian delegates including four ambassadors for the upcoming G20 meet starting from March 16, officials said.

Sikkim is hosting two G20 events – Business (B20) on March 16 and Startup (S20) on March 18 -19.

Notably, all events are taking place in Gangtok.

Among the delegates, two are from China while no delegate from Russia has come for the G20 events in the State.

The focus of Sikkim is on presenting business potential in sectors such as tourism, organic farming, green energy and green industry among others.

Sikkim will be hosting b2b discussions as well as b2g discussions with the delegates that have arrived in Sikkim.
The B20 event tomorrow will take place at Chintan Bhawan in Gangtok.

Meanwhile, Sikkim CM Prem Singh Golay held a press conference on Wednesday ahead of G20 events.

The press conference had the attendance of Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay, Chief Secretary VB Pathak and CII representative Ashish Bhattacharya addressed the gathering at Samman Bhawan in Gangtok.

United Nations lauded India’s G20 Presidency for highlighting a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation.

Addressing the joint valedictory session of the 57th Capacity Building Programme of the Civil Servants of Bangladesh and Arunachal Pradesh, the UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp said, “In fact, India’s G-20 Presidency has become
SDG-20 Presidency as India is raising strong voice to close financial gaps.”

Sharp pointed out that four emerging economies — Indonesia, India, Brazil and South Africa — will be holding the G20 Presidency in a consequent manner to raise the issues of developing countries and to become the voice of the Global South after a long gap.

He said India’s G20 leadership would be followed by SDG Summit in New York after two weeks in September this year, and that this handshake will be important for the mid-term review of the DDG-17 Goals.

It may be recalled that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 192 United Nations member states in 2015. Some of these goals are no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure.

Sharp said the United Nations supports India’s Green Transition, as it has committed to net-zero carbon by 2070.
He further said digital transformation, low carbon economic model and women-led governance with gender equality and women empowerment are some of the key highlights of India’s high growth model. (ANI)