G20 Summit 2023 | Here’s what was so different about India’s Presidency

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India has showcased to the world a new cooperative, inclusive and solution-oriented model of diplomacy that balances the aspirations of developed and developing countries. The G20 Communique encompasses complex economic, social and geopolitical issues, demonstrating the herculean task achieved by the Indian Presidency through over 200 meetings across the country, multiple bilateral meetings and negotiations.

The comprehensive Communique outlines ambitious commitments spanning financial inclusion, green development towards a sustainable future, reinvigoration of multilateral institutions, women-led development and many other global issues.

Inclusion of the African Union (AU) — paving the way for future growth 

The inclusion of the AU as a permanent member of G20 exhibits India’s ability to showcase the Global South at leading international forums. The permanent membership of the AU, with its 1.4 billion people and USD 3 trillion GDP, might prove crucial as the African continent is central to global issues such as food security, migration and climate change.

Multilateral development bank (MDB) reforms — a nudge to align with changing developmental needs

To guarantee infrastructural and inclusive growth, it is imperative for developing countries to have access to developmental capital that is both easy and affordable.

MDBs, which are instrumental in funding development projects worth billions of dollars, play a crucial role in this process. The G20 members have endorsed a roadmap for the Capital Adequacy Framework (CAF) of MDBs, which calls for its ‘ambitious implementation’ and regular assessments of the progress made. It has the potential to generate additional funding headroom of USD 200 billion in the next decade.

However, a detailed implementation framework needs to be worked out to maximise the benefits of the proposed roadmap.

Energy transition – accelerating the shift towards a sustainable energy mix

In a bid to continue the momentum toward a clean, sustainable and affordable energy transition, the G20 members have committed to pursuing the tripling of renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 to build a sustainable and equitable global hydrogen ecosystem while accepting the need to phase down coal power. The establishment of the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre and the creation of the Global Biofuels Alliance acknowledge the significance of sustainable biofuels in zero and low-emission development strategies.

Financing the future engines of growth

During its G20 Presidency, India has significantly emphasised developing urban infrastructure. One of the priorities of the Presidency is financing the cities of tomorrow in a sustainable, inclusive and resilient manner. To ensure the success of this endeavour, guiding principles for financing such cities have been developed.

Additionally, a capacity-building framework that can be customised has been designed to help local governments assess and improve their institutional capabilities.

One Health — approach to achieve universal health coverage

The G20 Communique emphasises the importance of strengthening the global health architecture by prioritising the reinforcement of primary healthcare, building more resilient health systems, and supporting the development of climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems. In order to achieve universal health coverage, it is crucial to implement the One Health approach, improve pandemic preparedness and enhance existing infectious disease surveillance systems.

India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) route — potential to change the face of global trade

On the sidelines of the G20, the Governments of India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States of America signed an MoU to work together to establish IMEC. IMEC aims to foster transformative integration of Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The aim is to enable efficient and cost-effective trade of goods and services from and between India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Europe. If implemented systematically, the corridor has the potential to provide a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network.

Considering the current geopolitical split and the developmental inequities between the Global North and South, delivering a Leaders’ Declaration which covered diverse topics and fostering a resolute consensus amidst such challenges is an accomplishment. The sheer number of actionable outcomes makes India’ Presidency unique. However, the implementation of these ambitious outcomes will decide whether it will go down as one of the most inclusive, decisive and action-oriented declarations in G20 history.

—The author, Mohammad Athar, Partner & Leader – Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC India. The views expressed are personal.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Jammu and Kashmir: Families, villagers come out in support after Army Colonel, Major, DSP killed in terrorist encounter

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Four Army personnel, including Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles battalion, Major Ashish Dhonack, Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and a jawan were killed in a terrorist encounter in Kokorenag. Another soldier went missing in the gunfight on Wednesday (September 13) morning.

The operation against the terrorists commenced on Tuesday evening in the Garol area but was temporarily halted during the night. It resumed when information suggested that they were spotted at a hideout in the vicinity.

Colonel Singh, leading his team from the front, was critically injured during the gunfight and succumbed to his injuries along with other officers.

Deputy Superintendent Bhat, who leaves behind a two-month-old daughter and is the son of retired Inspector General Ghulam Hasan Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, passed away due to heavy blood loss.

Singh, who belonged to the 12th Sikh LI, was a recipient of the Sena medal. Dhonack belonged to the 15th Sikh LI.

The banned Resistance Front believed to be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Authorities suspect that these are the same terrorists responsible for the attack on army personnel on August 4, which resulted in the loss of three brave soldiers in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district.

People gather at officers’ residence in solidarity

In a display of solidarity and grief, scores of people gathered at the residences of Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak to mourn their loss.

Families and villagers expressed their anguish and called for a strong response against the perpetrators of such acts of violence.

Officials said the bodies of the two deceased officers have been brought to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar.

The mortal remains of the two are expected to reach their respective places by the evening or early next morning, the family members said.

Condolences shared for late officers

The entire nation mourns the loss of these dedicated officers.

DGP Dilbag Singh condoled the death of the braveheart officers of the police and army. In a message, he said every loss of life is unfortunate and asserted that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice soon.

He extended his sympathies to the bereaved families.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah along with other political leaders, also offered their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

Terrible terrible news from J&K. An army colonel, a major and a J&K Police DYSP gave the ultimate sacrifice in an encounter in Kokernag area of South Kashmir today. DySP Humayan Bhat, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Colonel Manpreet Singh laid down their lives in an encounter with…

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) September 13, 2023

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti while offering condolences to the bereaved families said there was no place for such acts of violence.

People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone also condoled the death of the bravehearts. Paying tributes to the three fallen officers, BJP leader Altaf Thakur said the security forces are committee to root out terror from Jammu and Kashmir.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar took to X and paid tributes to the slain officers.

ਜੰਮੂ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦੇ ਅਨੰਤਨਾਗ ‘ਚ ਬੀਤੀ ਸ਼ਾਮ ਹੋਏ ਅੱਤਵਾਦੀ ਹਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਖ਼ਬਰ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਦੁੱਖ ਹੋਇਆ…ਹਮਲੇ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਫੌਜ ‘ਚ ਕਰਨਲ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ (ਜੋਕਿ ਖਰੜ ਹਲਕੇ ਦੇ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਸਨ)…ਸਮੇਤ ਇੱਕ ਜਵਾਨ ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਪੁਲਸ ਦੇ DSP ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਹੋ ਗਏ…ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਅੱਗੇ ਅਰਦਾਸ ਪਰਿਵਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਹੌਂਸਲਾ ਤੇ ਹਿੰਮਤ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਣ…ਦੇਸ਼ ਖ਼ਾਤਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਫ਼ਰਜ਼… pic.twitter.com/6nbQMkJyve

— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 14, 2023

The attack comes a day after an Army personnel and Kent, a six-year-old female Labrador of the Army’s dog unit, were killed and three security personnel injured in the gunfight South of Pir Panjal at Rajouri in Jammu region. Two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the remote Narla village.

With agency inputs.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Google parent Alphabet lays off hundreds from global recruitment team

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Google parent Alphabet is laying off employees from its global recruiting team as the tech giant continues to slow hiring, it said on Wednesday.

The company’s decision to let go of a few hundred employees is not part of a wide-scale layoff and will retain a significant majority of the team for hiring critical roles. It will also help the workers search for roles within the company and elsewhere.

Alphabet is the first “Big Tech” company to lay off employees this quarter, after peers like Meta, Microsoft and Amazon downsized aggressively earlier in 2023 as a weak economy put an end to their pandemic-led hiring sprees.

California-based Alphabet cut about 12,000 jobs in January, reducing its workforce by six percent.

Layoffs in the US rose more than threefold in August from July and nearly fourfold compared with a year ago, according to a report by employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast that new claims for state unemployment benefits would rise by about eight percent in the week ended Sept. 9, after having fallen 13,000 to 216,000 in the prior seven-day period.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Deaths due to floods in Libya cross 5,100

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The death toll from flooding that hit the eastern Libyan city of Derna reached more than 5,000 and was expected to rise further, a local health official said Wednesday, as authorities struggled to get aid to the coastal city where thousands remained missing and tens of thousands were homeless.

Aid workers who managed to reach the city, which was cut off Sunday night when flash floods washed away most of the access roads, described devastation in the city’s centre, where search and rescue teams combed shattered apartment buildings for bodies and retrieved floating bodies offshore.

“Bodies are everywhere, inside houses, in the streets, at sea. Wherever you go, you find dead men, women, and children,” Emad al-Falah, an aid worker from Benghazi, said over the phone from Derna. “Entire families were lost.”

Mediterranean storm Daniel caused deadly flooding in many towns of eastern Libya, but the worst-hit was Derna. As the storm pounded the coast Sunday, residents said they heard loud explosions when the dams outside the city collapsed. Floodwaters washed down Wadi Derna, a river running from the mountains through the city and into the sea.

“The city of Derna was submerged by waves 7 metres high that destroyed everything in their path,” Yann Fridez, head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Libya, told broadcaster France24. “The human toll is enormous.”

Derna lies on a narrow coastal plain on the Mediterranean under steep mountains running along the coast. Only two roads from the south remain usable, and they involve a long, winding route through the mountains.

Aid teams with some supplies managed to get in that way, but local emergency workers otherwise were relying on whatever equipment they already had on hand. Collapsed bridges split the city centre, further hampering movements.

Ossama Ali, a spokesman for the Ambulance and Emergency Centre in eastern Libya, said at least 5,100 deaths were recorded in Derna, along with around 100 others elsewhere in eastern Libya. More than 7,000 people were injured in the city, most receiving treatment in field hospitals that authorities and aid agencies set up, he told The Associated Press by phone on Wednesday.

The number of deaths is likely to increase since search and rescue teams are still collecting bodies from the streets, buildings and the sea, he said.

At least 30,000 people in Derna were displaced by the flooding, the UN migration agency said. The damage is so extensive that the city is almost inaccessible for humanitarian aid workers, the International Organisation for Migration said.

The startling devastation pointed to the storm’s intensity, but also Libya’s vulnerability. The country is divided by rival governments, one in the east, the other in the west, and the result has been neglect of infrastructure in many areas.

“This is a disaster of every sense of the word,” a wailing survivor who lost 11 members of his family told a local television station as a group of rescuers tried to calm him. The television station did not identify the survivor.

Ahmed Abdalla, a survivor who joined the search and rescue effort, said they were putting bodies in the yard of a local hospital before taking them for burial in mass graves at the city’s sole intact cemetery.

“The situation is indescribable. Entire families dead in this disaster. Some were washed away to the sea,” Abdalla said by phone from Derna.

Bulldozers worked over the past two days to fix and clear roads to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and heavy equipment urgently needed for the search and rescue operations. Derna is 250 kilometres east of Benghazi, where international aid started to arrive on Tuesday.

Libya’s neighbours, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia, as well as Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates, have sent rescue teams and humanitarian aid. President Joe Biden also said the United States is sending emergency funds to relief organizations and coordinating with the Libyan authorities and the UN to provide additional support.

Mohammed Abu-Lamousha, a spokesman for the eastern Libyan interior ministry, on Tuesday put the death tally in Derna at more than 5,300, according to the state-run news agency. Dozens of others were reported dead in other towns in eastern Libya, he said.

Authorities have transferred hundreds of bodies to morgues in nearby towns. In the city of Tobruk, 169 kilometres east of Derna, the Medical Centre of Tobruk’s morgue received more than 300 bodies for people killed in the Derna flooding. Among them were 84 Egyptians, according to a list of dead obtained by The Associated Press.

Dozens of bodies of Egyptians killed in the floods were returned to their home country. Most of the dead are from one village, el-Sharif, in the southern province of Beni Suef. They were buried Wednesday morning following a mass funeral attended by hundreds of villagers. Four of the dead were buried at another funeral in the Nile Delta province of Beheira.

Among the dead was the family of Saleh Sariyeh, 60, a Palestinian from the refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in Lebanon, whose home was washed away in the floods, his nephew Mohammed Sariyeh told The Associated Press.

Mohammed Sariyeh said his uncle had been living for decades in Derna with his wife, Sanaa Jammal, and two daughters, Walaa, 27, and Hoda, 25, and were all killed on Monday. He added that friends called them from Libya telling the family that his uncle’s apartment was in a building in the city centre that was washed away during the storm.

The four were buried in Derna, Mohammed Sariyeh said adding that because of the ongoing fighting in Ein el-Hilweh, the family in Lebanon will not be receiving condolences in the camp.

At least 10,000 people were still missing in the city, according to Tamer Ramadan, Libya envoy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He said 40,000 people have been displaced in Derna and other towns affected by the floods in eastern Libya.

Known for its white-painted houses and palm gardens, Derna is about 900 kilometres east of the capital, Tripoli. It is controlled by the forces of powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter, who is allied with the eastern Libyan government. The rival government in western Libya, based in Tripoli, is allied with other armed groups.

Much of Derna was built by Italy when Libya was under Italian occupation in the first half of the 20th century. The city was once a hub for extremist groups in the years of chaos that followed the NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

North Korea says Vladimir Putin may visit after ‘epoch-making’ talks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted an invitation from Kim Jong Un to visit North Korea after the two held their first talks in four years, which the US believed centred on Pyongyang sending arms to help Moscow attack Ukraine.

Kim’s propaganda apparatus hailed the summit held at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome space center in the Amur, with the official Korean Central News agency saying Thursday the two discussed issues of mutual interest to both countries, peace and security in the region and international justice.

“At the end of the reception, Kim Jong Un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,”’ KCNA said, referring to the country by its formal name. “Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship.”

Kim left for his next destination, KCNA said without giving an indication of where that might be, calling the talks between Kim and Putin “an epoch making event.” Kim will visit civilian and military equipment factories in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and also head to Vladivostok, Putin said earlier.

If Putin visits, it would be the first time he has met Kim in North Korea. KCNA offered few specifics on any agreements reached at the talks.

The visit to the space facility underscored some of the items that may be on Kim’s wish list in exchange for supplying munitions to Russia. Pyongyang has failed twice this year to deploy a spy satellite and could be seeking assistance from Moscow in putting one into orbit. Kim may also be seeking technology that would help his regime’s nuclear warheads survive the heat from reentry to the atmosphere.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Delhi’s Outcome Budget: More Mohalla Clinics and classrooms? Govt sets targets for departments, agencies for 2023-24

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Delhi government has set targets for its departments and agencies, including opening more mohalla clinics for women and new classrooms in schools, in the current fiscal, according to an Outcome Budget document.

The Planning Department on Tuesday shared the Outcome Budget document detailing targets achieved in 2021-22 and 2022-23 as well as the targets set for 2023-24.

It detailed the targets and budget allocations for various schemes and programmes of the 22 departments and agencies in 2023-24.

The Delhi government has mapped 248 schemes and listed various outcome and output indicators on which performance will be assessed at the end of the financial year. This will be then be presented in the assembly as the Outcome Budget.
Delhi’s Outcome Budget is an extensive exercise linking the budgetary allocations with quantifiable outputs and measurable outcomes, giving an idea about efficiency of governance and expenditure of resources, officials said. The concept of Outcome Budget was introduced by the Delhi government in its annual financial statement for 2017-18.

The document showed that the government has targeted to increase the number of classrooms in its existing schools to 21,645 from 20,663 in 2022-23 with a budget allocation of Rs 550 crore.

It also has set a target of boosting digital learning by increasing the number of digital classrooms to 2,211.

Further, monitoring of teaching and learning at government schools will be strengthened by increasing the installation of CCTV cameras from 1,17,220 in 2022-23 to 1,46, 800 in the current fiscal, the document showed.

The government has also targeted to raise the number of Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics from 517 to 742 in 2023-24. It also aims at raising the number of Mohalla Clinics for women from existing five to 50 in this year, according to the document.

In transport sector, the government has targeted to raise the number of automated driving test tracks from 15 to 17.

Under the ‘City of Lakes’ project, the government has plans to raise the number of revived water bodies to 30.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US: School shooting in Louisiana leaves 1 dead, 2 hurt

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Classes are cancelled at a Louisiana high school where a student was shot to death and two others were injured, authorities said. The names and ages of the victims of the shooting at St. Helena College & Career Academy in Greensburg have not been released. Law enforcement officials said they arrested the suspected shooter, a 14-year-old student Tuesday after the shooting.

This is such a senseless tragedy and my prayers go out to the families of all involved and to the St. Helena community that were affected by this tragedy, Sheriff Nat Williams said in a post on Facebook. His office hadn’t released the charges the suspect faces, or information about the events that led up to the shooting. Williams did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press.

According to deputies, the shooting happened about 3 pm Tuesday in the school’s back parking lot. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards released a statement about the shooting, noting that the Greensburg community is close to my home and my heart” having represented the area for eight years while in the state legislature. Donna and I are praying for the families affected by this awful act, and for the entire St. Helena community, Edwards said.

There are far too many Louisianians who have had a shooting close to home. Too many families are forever altered by senseless violence. While we seek justice, we must continue to have serious policy discussions about how to end this plague of gun violence in Louisiana and across our country.

The St. Helena Parish School District said classes at the school are cancelled until Friday, as well as the football game and School Board meeting. Grief counselors will be available for students and staff upon their return, the district said in a post on Facebook. US Rep. Troy Carter, a Democrat representing part of southeast Louisiana, said he was devastated to hear about the school shooting.

Gun violence affects ALL of us, Carter posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It harms our communities and it is heartbreaking to see it harm our children.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India slashes solar imports from China as domestic manufacturing thrives: Report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a departure from global trends, India has recorded a substantial 76 percent drop in solar module imports from China during the first half of 2023 which reflects New Delhi’s resolute shift towards self-sufficiency in solar manufacturing, a new report said on Thursday.

India’s solar module imports from China plummeted from 9.8 GW in the first half of 2022 to a mere 2.3 GW during the corresponding period in 2023, the report by global energy think tank Ember said.

This strategic shift, coupled with the imposition of tariffs, underscores India’s determination to minimise dependency on imports and prioritise the development of its domestic manufacturing capacity.

Neshwin Rodrigues, an India Electricity Policy Analyst at Ember, said, “India’s dependence on China for solar module imports is well and truly reducing post-2022. Domestic manufacturing is gaining momentum, thanks to recent policy interventions.” ”

He said as India edges closer to self-sufficiency in solar manufacturing, reliance on Chinese modules and cells is no longer a constraint. “What’s crucial now is creating an enabling policy environment to ensure that solar installations keep pace with the National Electricity Plan,” he added.

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India started levying a customs duty of 40 percent on solar modules and 25 percent on solar cells from April 2022 in a bid to cut imports and boost local manufacturing.

The country’s commitment to reducing import dependency and nurturing a robust domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem aligns with the nation’s broader goals of sustainability and energy self-reliance.

According to its updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which are national plans to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, India has committed to achieving 500 GW of installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel-based resources by 2030. Solar is at the heart of this ambitious goal.

The report also said China’s exports of solar panels rose by an impressive 3 percent in the first half of 2023, reaching a total of 114 GW shipped worldwide.

This marks a substantial increase from the 85 GW exported during the same period in the previous year.

Ember’s data lead, Sam Hawkins, said, “Solar growth is going through the roof.” China’s dominance in the solar panel manufacturing market, accounting for about 80 percent of the global market share, has significant global implications.

More than half of the solar modules exported from China during the first half of 2023 were destined for Europe, making up 52.5 percent of exports.

Europe experienced the most substantial absolute growth worldwide, with exports from China increasing by 47 per\cent year-on-year (21 GW), reaching a total of 65 GW during the first half of 2023 compared to 44 GW in the same period the previous year.

While Europe led in absolute growth, the fastest expansion occurred in Africa and the Middle East.

South Africa witnessed a remarkable increase of 438 percent (2.7 GW) in solar panel imports from China in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year.

This surge contributed to Africa’s overall growth of 187 percent (3.7 GW), making it the fastest-growing region.

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Following Africa, the Middle East experienced a 64 percent growth (2.4 GW) during the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year.

The report noted that despite the surge in solar panel exports, the gap between solar module exports and installed PV capacity is widening globally. This is attributed to stockpiling of modules in warehouses and challenges related to the installation and grid integration of solar generation.

Sam Hawkins, data lead at Ember, emphasised the need to accelerate installation and grid integration to keep pace with the global module supply, saying, “We have enough solar panels; we just need to get busy installing them.” He called for policies that prioritise the rapid scaling of installation and grid integration to match the increasing module supply.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow