India Hosts Third G20 Development Working Group Meeting in Goa

The third meeting of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG) is being held from May 8-11, 2023, in Goa, India. The meeting is being attended by over 80 delegates from G20 members, 9 invitee countries, and various international and regional organizations. 

The DWG is the custodian of the development agenda of the G20 and is tasked with finding inclusive solutions and collective actions to address global development challenges.

G20 Goa: Women-led Development Event

The formal DWG meeting was preceded by a side event on Women-led Development on May 8, 2023. The event was attended by several high-profile experts and speakers from IOs, academia, think tanks, and civil society who deliberated on matters such as Women and Economy in Emerging Sectors, Women’s leadership in the Uniformed Services, and how women can act as agents of change in Climate Resilience and Food Systems. An exhibition on the theme of Women-led Development will be inaugurated on May 9, 2023, at the meeting venue in association with the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Formal DWG Meeting in Goa

The formal segment of the DWG meeting took place from May 9-11, 2023, and was inaugurated by Secretary (Economic Relations) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Dammu Ravi on May 9, 2023, through a video message. The meeting was chaired by India’s DWG Co-Chairs – Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretaries K. Nagaraj Naidu and Ms. Eenam Gambhir.

Development Priorities Discussed

Over the next three days, detailed discussions were held on various development priorities proposed by India, which are likely to feed into Development Ministerial Meeting in June. These discussions included deliberations on a G20 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and the G20 High-level Principles on Lifestyle for Environment that will provide the necessary political thrust and momentum to the efforts on achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Cultural Experiences At Goa G20 Meet

In association with the Government of Goa, the G20 delegates also witnessed the cultural richness & diversity and unique Indian culinary experience, providing them a glimpse into the rich heritage of Goa. Several senior dignitaries from the Government of Goa attended the social events.

India's G20 Development Agenda

The developmental agenda is taking prominence and center stage during India’s G20 Presidency, especially in the wake of the impacts of the ongoing multiple crises, which are setting back progress on the 2030 Agenda, deepening inequalities and accentuating environmental and climate risks, and in the process disproportionately affecting the developing countries.

Overall, the meeting aimed to find all-encompassing and inclusive solutions to address the diverse global development challenges of the day.