Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested a new global index for the post-Covid-19 world to the G20 group of countries comprising four key elements including creation of a talent pool, ensuring technology for all, providing transparency in governance and dealing with `Mother Earth’ with a spirit of trusteeship.
Based on these (key elements), the G20 can lay the foundation of a new world, Modi said addressing the two-day virtual G20 Summit that began on Saturday. The 15th G20 Leaders’ Summit is chaired by Saudi Arabia and is attended by heads of state and government of the 19 member countries and representatives of the European Union and international organisations.
“Had a very fruitful discussion with G20 leaders. Coordinated efforts by the largest economies of the world will surely lead to faster recovery from this pandemic. Thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the virtual summit,”Modi tweeted after his address.
“The PM underscored that in the past few decades, while there has been an emphasis on capital and finance, the time has come to focus on multi-skilling and re-skilling to create a vast human talent pool. This would not only enhance dignity of citizens but would make our citizens more resilient to face crises,” according to an official release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Modi called for greater transparency in governance systems to inspire citizens to deal with shared challenges and enhance their confidence. “He also said that dealing with environment and nature as trustees rather than owners will inspire us towards a holistic and healthy lifestyle, a principle whose benchmark could be a per capita carbon footprint,” the release added.
With ‘work from anywhere’ becoming a new normal in the post-Covid-19 world, the PM also suggested creation of a G20 Virtual Secretariat as a follow up and documentation repository.
Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic was the biggest challenge the world had faced since World War II, Modi called for decisive action by the G20, not limited to economic recovery, jobs and trade, but focussing on preserving planet Earth as people are trustees of humanity’s future.
The summit would continue on Sunday culminating in the adoption of the Leaders’ Declaration and with Saudi Arabia passing on the Presidency to Italy, the release added.
