India has accepted an invitation from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to join the Champions Group of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG). This decision highlights India’s growing global leadership and commitment to addressing contemporary global challenges. By joining the Group, India aims to contribute to the United Nations’ efforts in finding effective solutions to developmental issues that affect the world, particularly developing countries.
Shri Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, has been designated as the Sherpa to the GCRG process. The Sherpas will convene a virtual meeting today, and a meeting of the Champions Group is scheduled for July 21, 2023. India’s participation in the GCRG reflects its dedication to collaborating with other nations to address critical global issues.
About the Global Crisis Response Group
The Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) was established by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in March 2022 with the aim of addressing urgent and interconnected global challenges. The group focuses on issues related to food security, energy, and finance, recognizing the interlinkages between these crises. The GCRG is a high-level body that brings together representatives from the United Nations, governments, and other organizations.
Background
The Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG), consisting of 32 members, provides high-level political leadership to address the interconnected challenges of food security, energy, and financing. The group works together to implement a coordinated global response to these ongoing crises.
Within the GCRG, there are three workstreams focused on Food, Energy, and Finance. These workstreams gather data, conduct analysis, and generate policy recommendations and solutions to support decision-making and advocacy. The workstreams remain adaptable and responsive to address immediate crises and the vulnerabilities faced by individuals and countries.
The GCRG’s Mandate
- Monitor and analyze the interconnected food, energy, and financial crises.
- Identify and promote coordinated solutions to the crises.
- Support countries in need.
Chair of the Global Crisis Response Group
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, plays a crucial role in providing high-level political leadership and coordination within the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG). Alongside champion Heads of State/Government, he facilitates decision-making and works towards a global consensus on actions to prevent and respond to the impacts of interlinked crises.
As the leader of the United Nations, the Secretary-General brings together key stakeholders and encourages cooperation among member states to address the complex challenges of food security, energy, and financing. By promoting dialogue and collaboration, he strives to ensure that effective measures are taken to mitigate the impacts of these crises on a global scale.
Champions of the Global Crisis Response Group
The Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) has appointed six eminent world leaders as Champions to support the Secretary-General’s call for immediate action in addressing the looming crisis. These Champions play a vital role in advocating for and facilitating global consensus on actions that aim to prevent, mitigate, and respond to the crisis at hand.
The GCRG is overseen by the Champions Group comprising the Head of State/Government of Bangladesh, Barbados, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, and Senegal.
Issues
The interplay between food, fuel, and finance creates a vicious cycle that exacerbates poverty, hunger, and inequalities. This crisis has been developing over several years but has become increasingly unbearable for many countries, particularly since the war in Ukraine.
- Food prices have been influenced by factors such as bumper crops in Australia, Canada, Russia, and the United States, as well as the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative recommended by the GCRG. This initiative aims to reintegrate grains and sunflower oil from Ukraine into global markets and ensure unimpeded access to food and fertilizers from Russia.
- Energy policies are crucial in addressing the short-term emergency. Efforts to promote energy efficiency and equitable demand reduction should be accompanied by a commitment to climate goals. In the medium-to-long term, a focus on renewable energy is essential to meet net-zero targets, address energy poverty, and diversify the global energy mix.
- Finance is another critical aspect of the crisis. Despite the decline in commodity prices, developing and least developing countries continue to face accelerating inflation rates due to their income levels and exposure to global financial shocks. The threat of stagflation, characterized by low growth and high inflation, looms large in 2022 and 2023, as developing countries’ ability to cope with financial shocks deteriorates despite falling commodity prices.
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