H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has participated via teleconferencing in the Voice of Global South Summit, which is being hosted by India as part of its Presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20), and the UAE being invited to participate as a guest country in the upcoming G20 Summit.
The two-day Voice of Global South Summit, which kicked off on Thursday, saw the participation of foreign ministers and senior officials from over 120 countries, with the aim of providing a platform for countries to exchange views and share their priorities. Through this summit and its G20 Presidency, India is seeking to provide an ideal platform for countries who are not members of the G20 to share relevant ideas and expectations.
At the beginning of his speech, Sheikh Abdullah said, “I would like to first thank our partners in India for organising this important Summit, which aims at further integrating emerging and developing economies into the G-20 Process.”
He explained that the Voice of Global South Summit complements the contribution of G-20 guest countries and organisations, reflecting the core values embedded in the Indian Presidency’s theme: “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
"As a G-20 Guest Country for the third time since 2020, the UAE will continue to prioritise developing countries’ views and challenges.
In parallel, the UAE continues to live up to its vital role as a key donor and global economic hub, with particular emphasis on bridging the economic development gap at the regional and global levels," Sheikh Abdullah added.
“The UAE’s efforts to narrow this gap have culminated in the sizeable and extensive network of UAE initiatives and investments across Small Island Developing States, developing, and underdeveloped economies.”
“Since its onset in December 2022, the Indian Presidency of the G-20 has been exemplary not only in terms of the successful organisation, but also through the inclusive approach and openness towards all stakeholders,” Sheikh Abdullah affirmed, adding that “in doing so, our Indian partners remained open to all proposals and ideas from G-20 members and guests, including initiatives to harness synergies with key upcoming international events like COP28”.
“An outgrowth of this inclusive approach is today’s open and interactive discussion, under the Chairship of the Indian Presidency, to incorporate the views of emerging and developing countries in the G-20 agenda. In this light, the UAE is keen on expressing its appreciation to the Indian Presidency, and is hopeful that the upcoming presidencies follow-suit in order to maintain the ongoing pace and approach towards inclusiveness,” he went on to say.
“As the UAE hosts COP28 in November 2023, it is also important to reiterate our commitment to working hand-in-hand with the Indian Presidency and our G-20 partners to ensure the alignment between COP and G-20 priorities. I also re-affirm the UAE’s determination to work collectively with all partners to enhance knowledge exchange across high-potential and future-oriented sectors, including space, technology, and research and development,” Sheikh Abdullah said in conclusion.
