G20 Culture Ministerial Meeting and B20 Summit 2023

• 31 Aug 2023

For Prelims: G20, Business 20 (B20), Artificial intelligence (AI) 

For Mains:  Role of the B20 in fostering collaboration among global business leaders,  the importance of preserving cultural heritage.  

Source: TH 

Why in News?  

Recently, the Prime Minister (PM) of India concluded the G20 Culture Ministerial Meeting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, with a consensus on safeguarding cultural heritage highlighting repatriation and addressing threats to assets. 

• Additionally, the PM also addressed the Business 20 (B20) India 2023 summit in New Delhi. 

What are the Key Highlights of the G20 Culture Meet? 

• Acknowledgment of Threats to Cultural Heritage:  
  • The "Kashi Culture Pathway" document identified various threats to cultural heritage, including looting, illicit trafficking of cultural property, destruction of cultural sites, desecration of relics, and more. 
• Impact of Cultural Threats:  
  • These threats can lead to the irreversible loss of cultural assets, disrupt socio-cultural practices, and affect the cultural, human, economic, and social rights of people and communities. 
• Concern Over Illicit Online Trade:  
  • Culture ministers from G20 countries expressed concerns about the rise of online platforms enabling illicit trafficking of cultural property and emphasized the need for potential regulations to address this issue. 
• Link Between Cultural Property and Organized Crime:  
  • Ministers highlighted the connection between the destruction and trafficking of cultural property and organized crimes like money laundering, corruption, tax evasion, and terrorist financing, especially in conflict situations. 
• Unity Against Cultural Destruction:  
  • All participating nations united against intentional or collateral destruction of cultural heritage, particularly in conflict scenarios that hinder peace and sustainable development. 
• Commitment to Living Heritage for Development: 
  • The G-20 nations also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen institutional and policy frameworks to harness living heritage (inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants) for sustainable development. 
• Prime Ministers' Museum:  
  • The PM of India highlighted  the "Prime Ministers’ Museum" in New Delhi, which showcases India's democratic heritage and emphasized the development of the "Yuge Yugeen Bharat" National Museum, set to become the world's largest museum showcasing India's history and culture spanning over 5,000 years. 

What is  Business 20 (B20)? 

• About: 
  • The B20 is the official G20 dialogue forum involving the global business community. 
  • B20 plays a leading role in mobilizing global business leaders' perspectives on global economic and trade governance. 
    • It represents the unified voice of the entire G20 business community. 
  • Each year, a B20 Chair is appointed by the G20 Presidency, supported by a B20 Sherpa and secretariat. 
  • B20's goal is to provide actionable policy recommendations aligned with rotating presidency priorities to foster economic growth. 
  • B20 operates through Task Forces (TFs) and Action Councils (ACs) responsible for consensus-based policy recommendations. 
  • These recommendations are directed towards the G20 and international organizations. 
• B20 India 2023 Theme: 
  • The theme for the B20 India is R.A.I.S.E. This stands for Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, Equitable Businesses. 
    • The vision is to collaborate with global partners in areas such as inclusive global value chains (GVCs), energy and climate change, digital transformation, financial inclusion, and the future of work. 
• B20 India Members: 
  • Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Türkiye, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Mexico. 
• Highlights of B20 India Summit: 
  • Caution Against Treating Countries as Markets: 
    • The PM of India cautioned global businesses to move beyond treating countries solely as markets. 
    • Stressed the importance of balancing the interests of both producers and consumers for sustaining a profitable market. 
  • Global Supply Chain Disruptions and India's Solution: 
    • Pointed to irreversible disruptions in global supply chains post-Covid-19 pandemic. 
    • Questioned the efficiency of such supply chains during critical times. 
    • Presented India as a trustworthy solution to address disruptions in global supply chains. 
      • Highlighted India's technological prowess, indicating its capacity to adopt innovative solutions and digital tools to manage and optimize supply chains. 
  • Rethinking Business Approach: 
    • Advocated for a reboot of the traditional "brand and sales" approach. 
      • Emphasized the need to improve the purchasing power of people. 
    • Highlighted India's success in lifting 13.5 crore people out of poverty in five years, creating a new consumer base. 
  • International Consumer Care Day: 
    • Suggested an annual "International Consumer Care Day" to enhance trust between producers and buyers. 
      • Proposed businesses globally come together to pledge commitment towards consumers' well-being and market integrity. 
  • Cryptocurrencies and AI Ethical Considerations: 
    • Addressed the emerging challenges posed by cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence (AI). 
      • Highlighted the need for an integrated global framework to address concerns from all stakeholders. 
    • Discussed ethical considerations associated with AI, including algorithm bias and societal impact. 
    • Advocated for collaboration between global business communities and governments to ensure the expansion of ethical AI. 
  • Challenges and Opportunities: 
    • Urged businesses and society to analyze decisions' impact on the planet. 
    • Stressed that answers to challenges like climate change, energy crisis, food supply chain imbalance, and cybersecurity will shape business and humanity's future. 
  • B20 Task force Recommendations: 
    • The Task Force has made four key recommendations they are 
      • Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Acceleration. 
      • Fund for financing of ‘Global Public Goods’ (with initial thrust on geographically fungible SDG projects in climate, energy, biodiversity, and ocean pollution) 
      • Capacity building of domestic financial sectors for SDGs financing  
      • Improving MSME access to finance and reducing cost of capital to foster inclusive growth. 
      • Financing sustainable and resilient infrastructure with enhanced focus on healthcare, energy, and digital infrastructure. 

Ethical AI: 

• AI that adheres to well-defined ethical guidelines regarding fundamental values, including such things as individual rights, privacy, non-discrimination, and non-manipulation. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year’s Question (PYQs) 

Prelims: 

Q. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020) 

(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey 

(b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand 

(c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam 

(d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea 

Ans: (a) 

Q. Consider the following statements about G-20: (2023) 

1. The G-20 group was originally established as a platform for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss the international economic and financial issues. 
2. Digital public infrastructure is one of India's G-20 priorities. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 only  
(c) Both 1 and 2   
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 

Ans: (c)