External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, on Thursday addressing the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, underscored the pressing need for dialogue and diplomacy to address conflicts that have starkly impacted the Global South.
“The costs to the Global South in terms of energy, food and fertiliser security were starkly demonstrated by ongoing conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Gaza,” he said, noting how disruptions in supply, access, and pricing had become pressure points for many nations.
He cautioned against double standards in global responses, observing: “Peace can enable development, but by threatening development, we cannot facilitate peace. Making energy and other essentials more uncertain in an economically fragile situation helps no one.”
Highlighting the role of neutral nations, Jaishankar remarked, “In any conflict situation, there will be a few who have the ability to engage both sides. Such countries can be utilised by the international community to achieve peace and to maintain it.”
Turning to the threat of terrorism, he stressed the importance of a zero-tolerance approach. “It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities... Those who act against them on any front render a larger service to the international community as a whole,” he said.
Jaishankar also flagged the shortcomings of existing institutions. “As we confront conflict, economic pressures and terrorism, the limitations of multilateralism and the United Nations are visible. The need for reforming multilateralism has never been greater,” he asserted.
The minister called on G20 nations to shoulder greater responsibility in stabilising the global order. “The international situation is volatile, both politically and economically. We, as members of G20, have a particular responsibility to strengthen its stability and give it a more positive direction. That is best done by undertaking dialogue and diplomacy, by firmly combating terrorism, and by appreciating the need for stronger energy and economic security,” he said.
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