Former PM Deve Gowda not to attend G20 summit dinner due to health reasons

Pic/Twitter@H_D_Devegowda

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said he would not attend the G20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday due to health reasons.

The Janata Dal (Secular) supremo on Friday said he has already communicated this to the Union government.

"I will not be attending the G20 dinner organised by the Hon'ble President of India Draupadi Murmuji, on 09 September 2023, due to health reasons. I have already communicated this to the government. I wish the G20 summit a grand success," he said on 'X', formerly Twitter.

India is all set to host the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9-10.

Besides the foreign delegates parliamentarians and ministers in the current Cabinet, the G20 Summit dinner will be attended by some of the former senior leaders of the nation.

US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are among the key leaders who are going to attend the event in the country's capital city.

Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be taking part in the weekend summit. China, however, will be represented at the summit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia.

This is the first time that the G20 Summit is being hosted by India. Extensive preparations have been underway to portray India's tradition and strength.

The countries taking part in the G20 Summit include Nigeria, Argentina, Italy, the AU (represented by Comros), and South Africa. Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Japan Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, Egypt, Australia, the United States, Canada, China, Russia, the U.A.E., Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey Spain, Germany, France, Mexico, the European Union, and Singapore.

A G20 Leaders' Declaration will be adopted at the end of the G20 Summit, stating the leader's commitment to the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working groups. India assumed the G20 presidency last year in November, and the next presidency of the G20 will be handed over to Brazil next year, followed by South Africa in 2025.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)