New Delhi : The first ever G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20 Summit) hosted by the world’s largest democracy concluded at India International Convention Centre, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, Delhi today, October 14, 2023, with parliamentarians from across the world coming together and reaffirming their commitment to continue their joint work to make an effective and meaningful parliamentary contribution to the G20 process. The ninth edition of the P20 Summit, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 13, 2023, came to a close with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla delivering the valedictory address at the concluding session today. Deputy Chairperson, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh; President of Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr. Duarte Pacheco; Presiding Officers of Parliaments of G20 nations and other dignitaries graced the concluding session. The two-day summit was preceded by a Parliamentary Forum on Mission LiFE on October 12, 2023.
Addressing fellow parliamentarians and other leaders at the closing session today, the Lok Sabha Speaker thanked Presiding Officers of Parliaments of G20 nations and of invited nations for contributing to the success of this P-20 Summit on “Parliaments for One Earth, One Family and One Future”. The P20 process has been further strengthened by the adoption of the Joint Statement, highlighted Shri Birla. He expressed confidence that the valuable views and inputs shared during the sessions on Sustainable Development Goals, green energy, women-led development and digital public infrastructure will further strengthen the G-20 process for human-centred development.
Mentioning the parliamentary dimension of G20, the Speaker noted that the discussions held over the past two days have clearly underlined the importance of the parliamentary dimension of G20 and have also established how Parliaments can work together to achieve the collective goals of One Earth, One Family and One Future.
Stressing on multilateralism, Shri Birla observed that in today’s inter-connected world, we cannot view any particular issue in isolation. He reiterated Paragraph 27 of the Joint Statement, which reads as follows:
“We will continue parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue in relevant fora as a catalyst for promoting international peace, prosperity and harmony while supporting the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes.”
Shri Birla also reiterated the collective determination of Parliaments of G20 nations to pursue the shared commitments at the COP-20, G-20 and beyond, in the times to come. Speaking on the role of parliamentarians, the Speaker noted that as public representatives, the Members of Parliament are in a special position to formulate the policies and laws necessary to fulfill the hopes, aspirations and needs of the public. “Our role is to complement the efforts of the government; we have a special contribution in ensuring good governance for the purpose of public welfare”.
On the conclusion of India’s P20 presidency, the Lok Sabha Speaker handed over the presidency to Parliament of Brazil.
On the sidelines of P20 Summit, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Mr. Duarte Pacheco. Shri Birla outlined that India pursues a common agenda with the IPU, of promoting and supporting democratic governance and building strong parliaments to serve the people. India’s continued participation in the diverse activities of the IPU and its committees reflects its commitment to furthering the purpose of the IPU, added Shri Birla. Shri Birla suggested that democratic principles and multilateralism should be given priority and everyone should be given proper representation on global platforms. The shared objective of both India and IPU is to democratize international governance structures that reflect current realities, informed Shri Birla.
On the sidelines of P20 Summit, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held bilateral talks with H.E. Mrs. Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Birla thanked Mrs. Matvienko for her contribution in making P20 a success. He also commended her political experience and contributions towards Parliament and the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU). Observing that India and Russia have long-standing deep relations, Shri Birla said that both countries have stood together in times of crises. He added that India and Russia also have strong relations in diverse fields like the military, agriculture, energy, and science and technology. Noting the mutual trust and close relations between leaders of India and Russia, Shri Birla expressed hope that both India and Russia will continue to strengthen their mutual relationship by further expanding parliamentary diplomacy.