New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for South Africa’s Johannesburg on Friday at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Taking to social media platform X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “PM Narendra Modi has departed for Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit. He will also be meeting several world leaders.”

The G20 Leaders’ Summit is set to take place on November 22 and 23 in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and economic hub.

On the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, PM Modi is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with some of the world leaders present in Johannesburg.

“This will be a particularly special Summit given that it would be the first G20 Summit being held in Africa. During India’s Presidency of the G20 in 2023, the African Union had become a member of the G20,” read the Prime Minister’s departure statement ahead of his visit.

“The Summit will be an opportunity to discuss key global issues. The theme of this year’s G20 has been ‘Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability’, by which South Africa has carried forward the outcomes from the previous Summits held in New Delhi, India and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I will present India’s perspective at the Summit in line with our vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘One earth, One Family and One future,’ PM Modi said.

The three sessions are titled: Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Leaving No One Behind: Building our economies; the role of trade; financing for development and the debt burden; A Resilient World – the G20’s Contribution: Disaster Risk Reduction; Climate Change; Just Energy Transitions; Food Systems; and, A Fair and a Just Future for All: Critical Minerals; Decent Work; Artificial Intelligence.

According to the MEA, PM Modi will also participate in the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting, hosted by South Africa.

India, under PM Modi, had spearheaded efforts that led to the African Union joining the G20 – an achievement termed as a landmark during India’s G20 presidency in 2023.

–IANS

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