China, Pakistan not invited to join Voice of Global South summit: Jaishankar
China and Pakistan were not part of the Voice of Global South Summit hosted virtually by India on Saturday, and the meeting was joined by leaders and ministers of 123 countries to discuss key challenges facing developing countries.
During the day-long summit, several participants raised concerns about the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, according to India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, who briefed the media.
When questioned about the absence of China and Pakistan, FM Jaishankar confirmed that neither country was invited to the third edition of the summit. Regarding China, he clarified, "Were they invited, the answer is no."
India's relations with both China and Pakistan have been strained, which may explain their exclusion from this summit as well as the previous two Voice of Global South Summits held last year.
The summit saw participation from 123 countries, including India. The leaders' session was attended by representatives from 21 countries, while 118 ministers joined various sessions focused on topics such as digital innovation, trade, and health. Additionally, 34 countries were represented in two sessions specifically for foreign ministers.
Muhammad Yunus, the interim head of Bangladesh's government, spoke during the leaders' session about the situation in his country following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government, as well as broader challenges such as geopolitical tensions, the impact of COVID-19, and climate change.
The topic of United Nations reform was also addressed at the summit. Jaishankar emphasized the necessity of reconciling various proposals for reform and allowing UN members to make informed choices. He advocated for text-based negotiations and the opportunity for countries to vote on the future direction of the UN.
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