Finance Minister Sitharaman Holds Meetings, With Australia, Egypt Counterparts

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday held bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Australia and Egypt in addition to her discussions with the leadership of OECD. Sitharaman's meetings here on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are part of her engagements with the top financial leaders ahead of the following year's G-20 presidency by India.

During all these meetings, India received support for its G-20 agenda. Sitharaman in her meeting with J E Chalmers, Treasurer of Australia, discussed possible issues for G20 India Presidency in 2023, the finance ministry said. The Union Finance Minister exchanged with UNDP Administrator A Steiner on Sustainable Finance. She highlighted the prime minister's vision for sustainable ecosystems launched through the global initiative "Lifestyle for Environment" LiFE.

This will also be in focus during India's G20 Presidency. The minister in her meeting with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Mathias Cormann discussed India-OECD bilateral engagements and OECD's support in India's G20 Presidency in 2023, the ministry tweeted. A day earlier, Sitharaman met Rania Al Mashat, Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation of Arab. They exchanged views on renewable energy in both countries. They underlined the importance of mobilising adequate resources for climate finance and agreed to cooperate closely for Egypt's hosting of COP27 and the upcoming G20 Presidency of India in 2023.

(PTI)