Key takeaways of the U20 City Sherpa Meeting, Ahmedabad

Urban 20 (U20) is an Engagement Group under the G20, which brings together city sherpas, mayors and representatives from cities in G20 countries, to collectively deliberate key urban challenges and inform the G20 negotiations. The inception meeting of the sixth U20 cycle is the City Sherpa meeting, which was inaugurated in Ahmedabad on 9^th February, 2023. Ahmedabad is the chair city for U20.

The event which was held in Ahmedabad on 9-10^th February, 2023, is being attended by over 70 delegates from close to 40 cities and more than 200 participants from observer cities, U20 Conveners, representatives from various working groups and engagement groups of the G20, senior officials from government, national and international organizations and other invited guests.

Following are the key takeaways of the U20 City Sherpa Meeting:

1. The U20 Inception meeting was attended by more than 200 participants from across the world.
2. The City Sherpa Meeting was attended by representatives and Sherpas from 42 cities, which is the largest recorded participation from U20 participating and observer cities since the inception of the U20 Engagement Group.
3. The inaugural session was graced by senior dignitaries from Government of India and Government of Gujarat.
4. In his inaugural address, Shri Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa emphasized the importance of sustainable urbanisation to drive economic growth and stressed the need for planned and scientifically driven growth. He gave a clarion call to all the delegates assembled to become ambassadors of a world that is focused on de-globalising, decarbonising and digitising cities. He urged the U20 Engagement Group to provide clear, precise and actionable recommendations that can be considered by G20 leaders and assured that and the G20 agenda will definitely reflect the importance of cities in bringing about impactful transformation.
5. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, in his virtual address highlighted India’s role in leading the discourse and action on important issues of global governance. He posited the U20 group as an opportunity for global peer learning and creating a visionary roadmap that can steer the G20 agenda.
6. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel highlighted the importance of the Sherpa meeting for deliberating and developing a joint position on the key priorities we wish to put forth to the G20 leaders.
7. Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary MoHUA called for reforms in urban planning frameworks, & pressed for the need of infrastructure finance for sustainable public transport, climate change transitions, & sustainable water & waste management.
8. Potential areas of convergence for infrastructure financing, improving disaster adaptation, mitigation and response in cities, and mainstreaming digital governance were discussed Chairs of three G20 Working Groups, namely the Infrastructure Working Group, Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group and Digital Economy Working Group.
9. The areas of convergence between U20 and other engagement groups of the G20, particularly the role cities can play in engaging the youth and creating opportunities for them, facilitating a robust startup ecosystem, and fostering innovative strategies in the areas of environment, climate finance, water security and digital governance were discussed with the Chair of Startup 20 and representatives from Youth 20 and Think 20.
10. The City Sherpa of Ahmedabad, Shri Praveen Chaudhary presented six priority areas proposed by the Chair city and also discussed the zero-draft communique. He acknowledged the work done under previous U20 cycles and stressed on the need to move from ‘intention to action’ during the 6^th cycle.
11. The priority areas are (i) Encouraging environmentally responsible behaviors, (ii) Ensuring water security, (iii) Accelerating climate finance, (iv) Championing ‘local’ identity, (v) Reinventing frameworks for urban governance and planning, and (vi) Catalysing digital urban futures.
12. City delegates from the various participating and observer cities deliberated on the six priority areas proposed by the Chair city Ahmedabad. The city sherpas expressed an overwhelming support for all the six priority areas and expressed solidarity in taking a collaborative agenda ahead at the Urban 20 inception meeting.
13. A number of innovative initiatives implemented in Ahmedabad and other cities of Gujarat were shared during the event by senior officers from the Government of Gujarat, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and senior subject experts. These included Sabarmati riverfront development, affordable housing initiatives, BRTS and metro rail, heritage management, etc.
14. A plan for the U20 cycle with key milestones was shared during the event. The Chair city announced that the Mayoral Summit where the final communique will be presented to the G20 leaders will be held on 7-8^th July 2023.

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RKJ/M