Saudi Sherpa Discusses Priorities of G20 Meetings in India

The Saudi Sherpa held a workshop with representatives of the participating parties in the G20 meetings. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Sherpa held a workshop with representatives of the participating parties in the G20 meetings. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Sherpa Discusses Priorities of G20 Meetings in India

The Saudi Sherpa held a workshop with representatives of the participating parties in the G20 meetings. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Sherpa held a workshop with representatives of the participating parties in the G20 meetings. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi officials reviewed the priorities of the G20 for the current year, which include supporting global economic growth in light of geopolitical tensions, strengthening global value chains and flexible logistics services, in addition to a range of issues related to health, energy, food security, education, tourism, the labor market and the digital economy.

These discussions were held during a workshop held by the Saudi Ministry of Finance that brought together the Saudi Sherpa Office and representatives of relevant government agencies.

The workshop provided an overview of the G20 agenda under the Indian Presidency for the year 2023 and discussed Saudi Arabia’s role within the group, in addition to means to maximize the benefits of the initiatives launched by the Kingdom during its presidency of the G20 in 2020.

Participants also discussed the roadmap and the Kingdom’s participation in the group’s meetings leading to the summit of leaders of the G20 countries, which will be held in New Delhi on Sept. 9-10, 2023.

The Sherpa is an envoy representing a head of a government participating in the main agenda prior to the convening of the summits of the leaders of the G20 countries, with the aim of preparing for negotiations that culminate in the agreement on the final statements issued by those summits.

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and United States, in addition to the European Union.

The G20 members represent around 90 percent of the global GDP, over 80 percent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.



Gazprom, CNPC Discuss Future Russian Gas Supplies to China

A view shows a board with the logo of Russian gas producer Gazprom at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo
A view shows a board with the logo of Russian gas producer Gazprom at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo
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Gazprom, CNPC Discuss Future Russian Gas Supplies to China

A view shows a board with the logo of Russian gas producer Gazprom at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo
A view shows a board with the logo of Russian gas producer Gazprom at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo

The heads of Russia's Gazprom and China's energy company CNPC discussed future Russian gas supplies to China during talks in Beijing, Gazprom said on Friday, as Moscow seeks stronger ties with the world's biggest energy consumer.

Russia, the holder of world's largest gas reserves, has diverted oil supplies from Europe to India and China since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, Reuters said.

At the same time, Russia's diversification of pipeline natural gas from the European Union has been slow.

It started gas exports to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline in the end of 2019 and plans to reach the pipeline's annual exporting capacity of 38 billion cubic meters this year.

Russia and China have also agreed on exports of 10 bcm of gas from Russia's Pacific island of Sakhalin starting from 2027.

However, years of talks about the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would ship 50 bcm of gas per year to China via Mongolia, have yet to be concluded as the two sides disagree over issues such as the gas price.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to travel to China in early September to participate in celebrations marking the anniversary of the victory over Japan in World War II.

The trip follows Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow in May.