Kashmir to host G-20 working group meet


In an encouraging development, Jammu and Kashmir will host the meeting of a working group during the 2023 meetings of G-20, the group that brings together the world’s major economies.

The Union Territory government has set up a five-member high-level committee for overall coordination for the meeting.

This will be the first major international summit to be held in Jammu and Kashmir after the erstwhile state’s special status was abrogated and it was divided into two Union territories on 5 August 2019.

According to an order issued here on Thursday, the Union Territory’s Housing and Urban Development Department principal secretary will be the chairman of the committee which was formed in response to a 4 June communication from the Ministry of External Affairs.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a committee…for overall co-ordination of G-20 meetings to be held in the Union Territory of J&K,” the order issued by Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said. The members of the committee include Commissioner Secretary (Transport), Administrative Secretary (Tourism), Administrative Secretary (Hospitality and Protocol) and Administrative Secretary (Culture). “Further, principal secretary to the government, housing and urban development department is also nominated as UT level nodal officer to coordinate the arrangements for G-20 meetings in the Union Territory of J&K,” the order said.

G20 member nations are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.