14th G-15 summit

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14th G-15 Summit
Tehran summit 2010.jpg
Host country Iran
Dates May 15–17, 2010

The Fourteenth G-15 summit was held in Tehran, Iran on May 17–20, 2010.[1] The bi-annual summit agenda of the Group of 15 (G-15)[2] encompassed a range of issues.[3]

The gathering brought together leaders, representatives and policymakers from non-aligned nations. African G-15 nations are Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. Those from Asia are India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Latin American G-15 nations include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.[4]

Overview[edit]

Main article: Group of 15

The Group of 15 was established at the Ninth Non-Aligned Movement summit in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in September 1989. The name of this group is unchanging, but its composition has expanded to 18 countries.[4]

The G-15 is composed of countries from Africa, Asia, North America and South America. These non-aligned nations joined together to create a forum to foster cooperation and develop information which can be presented to other international groups, such as the World Trade Organization and the Group of Eight. The G-15 nations have a common goal of enhanced growth and prosperity. The group aims to encourage cooperation among developing countries in the areas of investment, trade, and technology.[4]

Meeting independently in Tehran, ministers from Brazil, Iran and Turkey neogiated an agreement on principles designed to revive a stalled nuclear fuel-swap deal backed by the United Nations.[5]

Leaders at the summit[edit]

Those nations represented at the summit were Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The G-15 membership has expanded to 18 countries, but the name has remained unchanged.[6]

The leaders of G-15 nations are core contributors in summit meetings,[7] but only some of the heads-of-state were at the Teheran event:

  •  Argentina - represented by its permanent representative in Geneva[8]
  •  Chile - represented by the president's special envoy [8]
  •  Egypt - represented by the Minister of Investment[10]
  •  India - represented by its Foreign Minister.[8]
  •  Indonesia - represented by the president's special envoy and the Minister of Industries[8]
  •  Kenya - represented by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka[11]
  •  Malaysia - represented by the Deputy Minister of Finance[3]
  •  Mexico - represented by its Ambassador to Iran[8]
  •  Nigeria - represented by its Foreign Minister[8]

Guest participants[edit]

  • Belarus was represented by its deputy Vice-President [8] The Russian ambassador to Iran was in attendance.[8]

Priorities[edit]

The G-15 perceive an ongoing need to expand dialogue with the G8 and with the G20. The G-15 want to help bridge the gap between developing countries and the more developed and industrialized nations. The fact that some of the G-15 are simultaneously members of these other forums is expected to be helpful.[4]

Issues[edit]

G-15 nations are united by shared perceptions of global economic issues; and the G-15 provides a structure for working out common strategies for dealing with these issues.[12] For example, the G-15 opposes using the international economic and financial systems as political instruments. The group condemns the use of coercive economic measures or laws against developing countries.[13]

G-15 nations have joined together in hopes of escaping from the more polemical atmosphere in other multi-national groups and organizations, such as the Group of 77 (G-77). For example, the 14th G-15 summit called for reform of Bretton Woods institutions and examining alternate sources of financing for the developing world.[13]

Schedule and Agenda[edit]

The summit was a venue for three-way talks between Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Their negotiations led to the announcement of a program of exchange in Turkey of Iran's low-enriched uranium for nuclear fuel processed abroad.[14] The announcement of a diplomatic break-through was met with scepticism in Western capitals.[15]

The summit focused on the importance of cooperation in facing the current challenges of food, energy, climate change, health and trade. The G-15 agenda included discussions of the Doha Round, intellectual properties and the global financial crisis.

The chairmanship of the G-15 passed from Iran to Sri Lanka at the end of the summit; and Sri Lanka will host the next scheduled group meeting in Colombo, the 15th G-15 summit in 2012.[4]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ PressTv: "Iran to Host G15 Summit." May 20, 2010.
  2. ^ The official website adopts the "G-15" orthography (with a hyphen) in order to distinguish an abbreviated reference to this group in contrast with other similarly named entities.
  3. ^ a b Bernama (Malaysian National News Agency): "Ahmad Husni Represents Malaysia At G-15 Summit In Tehran." May 18, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e Prematillake, Tharindu. "Lanka Heads Powerful G-15 Serving Collective Interests," The Nation (Colombo). May 22, 2010.
  5. ^ Barrionuevo, Alexei et al. "Brazil and Turkey Say a Nuclear Deal With Iran Is Near,"New York Times. May 17, 2010; "Brazil’s Iran Diplomacy Worries U.S. Officials," New York Times, May 14, 2010; retrieved 2011-08-26
  6. ^ Afrasiabi, Kaveh L. "Cool G-15 heads take the heat," Asia Times (Hong Kong). May 15, 2010; retrieved 2011-08-26
  7. ^ Rieffel, Lex. "Regional Voices in Global Governance: Looking to 2010 (Part IV)," Brookings. March 27, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n FARS News Service: "G-15 Summit Opens in Tehran," May 18, 2010.
  9. ^ Farai Dzirutwe, Farai. "Zimbabwe: President Arrives in Iran." The Herald (Harare). 17 May 2010.
  10. ^ Kotb, Mesbah and Mohamed Abdel Atty/ "Mubarak: Finance Crisis Shows Need for Global System," Al-Masry Al-Youm. May 18, 2010.
  11. ^ "Kalonzo Decries Heckling At 'Yes' Campaign," The Nation (Nairobi). May 16, 2010.
  12. ^ Chauhan, Sandeep. Demand for New International Economic Order, p. 129., p. 129, at Google Books
  13. ^ a b Dikshit, Sandeep. "G-15 Deplores Imposition of Sanctions on Developing Countries," The Hindu (Chennai). May 19, 2010.
  14. ^ "Iran 'Agrees' Nuclear Fuel Swap," Aljazeera. May 17, 2010.
  15. ^ Sanger, David and Michael Slackman. "U.S. Is Skeptical on Iranian Deal for Nuclear Fuel," New York Times. May 17, 2010.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Preceded by
13th G-15 summit
14th G-15 summit
2010
Tehran
Succeeded by
15th G-15 summit