New Delhi, Nov 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a global centre for excellence for the Global South countries called DAKSHIN. The prime minister noted that he had proposed setting up the centre during the first Voice of Global South Summit in January this year.

In his opening remarks at the inaugural session of the Second Voice of Global South Summit, PM Modi said "I had proposed setting up a Global South Centre of Excellence for the Global South at the first Voice of Global South Summit. I am happy that the Dakshin Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative Global South Centre for Excellence is being inaugurated today."

"During the G20 Summit, I on behalf of India proposed to launch a satellite for monitoring weather and climate monitoring for Global South. We are working on it at a fast pace," PM Modi said.

Laying emphasis on the importance of the Global South, PM Modi said that it has always existed geographically but it is getting a voice for the first time due to joint efforts.

"Geographically, the Global South has always existed, but it is getting a voice for the first time, and this is because of the joint efforts. We are more than 100 countries but our priorities are similar," he said.

"India believes that new technology should not widen the gap between the Global North and the Global South. During the times of artificial intelligence, it is important that technology should be used responsibly. To further promote this, India will next month organise the AI Global Partnership Summit," the Prime Minister said.

He also highlighted that the topic of the Global South was also included in the New Delhi G20 Declaration. PM Modi said that India's priority was to make the G20 "inclusive and human-centric." He said that India gave prominence to the priorities of the Global South in more than 200 G20 meetings held across India during the year.

"Last year in December, when India accepted the presidency of G20, we took it as our responsibility to raise the voice of the Global South. Our priority was to make the G20 inclusive and human-centric. We tried to make the development of the people, by the people and for the people, the focus of the G20. It is with this objective that we organized the Voice of Global South Summit for the first time in January this year," PM Modi said.

"In more than two hundred G20 meetings held in different states of India, we gave prominence to the priorities of the Global South. As a result, the topics of the Global South were included in the New Delhi Leaders Declaration and we were successful in getting everyone's consent. I cannot forget that historic moment when because of India's efforts, the African Union got permanent membership of the G20," he said.

He noted that India has condemned the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. He called 'sabka saath and sabka vikas" paramount for global prosperity. PM Modi said that India has also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

"For global prosperity, sabka saath and sabka vikas is parmount. We all are seeing that new challenges are emerging from the events in the West Asia region. India has condemned the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7. We have laid emphasis on exercising restraint, dialogue and diplomacy," PM Modi said.

"We also strongly condemn the deaths of civilians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. After talking to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, we have also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. This is the time when the countries of the Global South should unite for the greater global good," he added.

The Second Voice of Global South Summit is taking place in a virtual mode. The Second Voice of Global South Summit would focus on sharing with countries of the Global South the key outcomes achieved in various G20 meetings over the course of India's Presidency. The challenges posed by global developments are also likely to be discussed.

Further, the Summit will serve as a platform to discuss ways to sustain the momentum generated towards our common aspiration of a more inclusive, representative and progressive world order.

The second VOGSS will be structured into 10 sessions. The inaugural and concluding sessions would be at the Head of State / Government level, and hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The theme of the inaugural leaders' session is "Together, for Everyone's Growth, with Everyone's Trust" and that of the concluding leaders' session is "Global South: Together for One Future", the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

(ANI)

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