Jaishankar meets Blinken, discusses Indo-Pacific, Afghan situation

Matera [Italy], June 29 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and discussed the Indo-Pacific and the Afghan situation during the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Italy.

“Good to see US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Matera. Discussed the Indo-Pacific and the Afghan situation,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

The External Affairs Minister also addressed a G20 session on Africa and said that he has underlined the solidarity of both the countries with the Global South and respect for African priorities.

Jaishankar has addressed the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting at Matera, Italy and said that international cooperation is the answer to the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said that institutional multilateralism has been found wanting and reforms have many forms but vaccine equity will be the immediate test.

The minister said the real economy needs decentralised globalisation, including in manufacturing, food and health and resilient supply chains must develop in parallel.

He said there was a need for greater international cooperation to deal with the COVID-19 challenge.

The External Affairs Minister also said that the full diversity of “our planet needs more accurate reflection in global policymaking”.

The G20 is an inter-governmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.

Italy holds the Presidency of the G20 at present. The Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting is one of the ministerial meetings organised as part of the G20 Leaders Summit 2021. (ANI)