NEW DELHI: The first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting under India’s G20 Presidency is scheduled to be held during February 24-25 in Bengaluru.
The meeting will be jointly chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
“The first G20 FMCBG meeting under the G20 India’s Presidency will see the participation of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G20 members, invitee members and heads of International Organizations. In total, there will be 72 delegations attending the meeting,” economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth told ANI.
The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting will be preceded by a meeting of G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) on February 22, 2023, co-chaired by Ajay Seth, Secretary (Economic Affairs) and Michael D Patra, Deputy Governor at RBI.
The meeting of central bank deputies will be inaugurated by the Union Minister for information and broadcasting and youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur.
Seth added that India’s G20 Presidency has designed the meeting agenda in a manner that can foster a meaningful exchange of ideas on pragmatic and meaningful approaches to address key global economic issues.
Explaining about the meeting, the secretary said it will be spread over three sessions, covering issues such as strengthening multilateral development banks to address shared global challenges of the 21st century, financing for resilient, inclusive and sustainable ‘cities of tomorrow’, leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains.
“The sessions will also cover issues related to global economy, global health, and international taxation,” he said, adding that the discussions in the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting are intended to provide a clear mandate for the various workstreams of the G20 Finance Track in 2023.
Also, a number of side events have been planned for the visiting delegates, on subjects such as Digital Public Infrastructure, Policy Perspectives on Crypto Assets and the role of National Payment Systems in Cross Border Payments on the sidelines of the main meeting.
A ‘Ratri Bhoj Par Samvad’ and specially curated cultural programmes will also be organized for the Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors and their delegations which will showcase India’s diverse cuisines and culture.
“For the welcome of ministers, governors, deputies and delegates, we have organised cultural programmes showcasing India’s rich cultural odyssey across Karnataka. Karnataka is a land renowned for its deep-rooted cultural and artistic heritage with diverse forms of arts and crafts. The performances will reflect the artistry and splendour of Karnataka’s cultural ethos and legacy,” he added.
A special event titled Walk the Talk: Policy in Action is also being organized, during which the Ministers and Governors will visit the Indian Institute of Science to engage with tech-innovators and entrepreneurs who are working on affordable and scalable solutions to some of the challenges being faced by G20 member countries. (ANI)