Before representatives of the 19 members of the bloc, guest nations and international organizations, Modi invited the president of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, who chairs the AU, to take the position as a member of the G20.

Modi recalled that India always advocated for the inclusion in the bloc of voices from the Global South, mainly African nations, in its role of G20 president, and called for unity to better face current challenges and erase the lack of trust that currently exists in the world as a result of conflicts and the health crisis derived from the pandemic.

He also urged focusing on efforts on managing food, fuel and fertilizers, confronting terrorism and cybersecurity, and achieving health, energy and water security. “For the sake of present and future generations, we must move toward concrete solutions to these challenges,” he said.

The head of state emphasized that India concentrated its priorities at the head of the G20 on management focused on the progress of people to guarantee results for the benefit of all; thus, India’s presidency of the bloc became a symbol of inclusion.

Prior to the start of the Summit, Modi received the delegates to the event, including the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the presidents of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, from Brazil, Luis Inácio Lula Da Silva, who will receive the presidency from India, and from the United States, Joe Biden, with whom he held a bilateral meeting on Friday.

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