Assam: G20 delegates take river cruise to Brahmaputra Sandbar Island, laud arrangements

Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 3 (ANI): On the first day of the Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) meeting of the G20 in Guwahati on Thursday, the delegates took a river cruise to the Brahmaputra Sandbar Island. The Assam is playing host hosting its first G20 meeting, which kicked off on Thursday and will conclude on Friday.

A delegate said the G20 is a premier forum for international cooperation acrossfields and spheres and the spirit of cooperation was evident in the arrangements made for them in the city.”India as G20 President has organised everything down to the smallest detail. The G20 is a premier forum for international cooperation and the same is evident in the way we are being hosted here,” the delegate said.

Another delegate, too, lauded the hospitality being accorded to the guests, saying that the G20 meeting was very well organised. “The hospitality is exceptional here. The G20 meeting is very well organised, with some key focus areas that will help mobilise sustainable finance,” said the delegate on the sidelines of the 1st Sustainable Financial Working Group meeting in Guwahati.

Another delegate said India’s G20 presidency has got off to a bright start.
“India’s G20 presidency has kicked off on a very bright note. We received a warm welcome here. All G20 members need to work together towards climate finance,” said the delegate. The meeting was inaugurated by Union Minister of AYUSH and Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, who welcomed the delegates and highlighted the diverse ethnicity and culture of Guwahati.

“The culture and heritage and the spirit of conservation of nature in Guwahati are reflective of India’s pro-planet and people-centric approach,” Sonowal said.
Detaling the role of traditional medicine towards a sustainable future, the minister said, “The aim is to channel India’s ancient wisdom and traditional knowledge and capitalize on it to pave the way for a sustainable future.”

Larry McDonald, the US co-chair of SFWG, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the minister on behalf of SFWG, stating that the combination of his responsibilities like promoting a green and sustainable shipping system and promoting health and well-being is very relevant to the work, goals and aspirations of the SFWG.

Promoting the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’, on the sidelines of the meeting, the minister treated himself to Assam tea and also graced an exhibition of local products such as bamboo-made handicraft items and local silk products, among others.
The 1st SFWG meeting is being attended in person by 95 delegates from G20 member countries, 10 invitee countries and 14 international organisations.

Many international organisations joined the meeting virtually. The G20 SFWG aims to mobilise sustainable finance to help ensure global growth and stability and promote the transition towards a greener, more resilient, and inclusive societies and economies.

The G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) in Guwahati will discuss how to mobilise finance for tackling climate change, how to fund newly developed low-carbon technologies, identify instruments to finance Sustainable Development Goals including nature and biodiversity as well as discuss ways and means to increase the capacity of countries to understand and mobilise sustainable finance.
The meeting concluded with delegates visiting Brahmaputra sandbar island on the river cruise.

A phenomenal display of the rich culture and heritage of Assam was organised on the island which enthralled the delegates.