Russia rejects G20-CSAR meet outcome document for Ukraine reference, China too objects

Russia on Monday rejected the inclusion of reference to it's war with Ukraine in the outcome document and Chair's summary of the G20 Chief Science Advisers Roundtable (G20-CSAR), which concluded in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar.

Russia rejected the inclusion of geopolitical Para 13, on the basis that it does not conform to the G20 mandate.

China also did not support the inclusion of the paragraph in the document, saying that "G20-CSAR is not the right forum to discuss geopolitical issues and did not support the inclusion of the geopolitical-related content."

The document said that G20-CSAR deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks.

"There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognising that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy," the document said.

Meanwhile the forum said that it will work towards creating a robust, relevant, and effective mechanism that brings chief science advisers and their nominated equivalents together to deliberate on contemporary issues that demand effective global science advice to address existing knowledge asymmetries that benefit global society equitably.

"G20-CSAR has set the stage for further discussions and deliberations where members and international organisations can converge on various multidisciplinary issues to impart synergistic science advice. Science Diplomacy can be used as a tool to enhance the synergies between the actors involved in this mechanism," the document said.

G20- CSAR intends to further this mechanism that is accessible, inclusive, action-focused, outcome-oriented, and dynamic with scientific integrity and rigour at its core which strengthens the overall science advice ecosystem, the outcome document said.

"We will explore ways of making use of the G20-CSAR also for voluntary knowledge and resource sharing on mutually agreed terms to exchange best practices in the science advice process that is based upon inclusivity, heterogeneity, interdependency, transparency, plurality of expertise, and collective interest," the document said.