By Ayushi Agarwal
New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI):Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on Monday termed digitalisation innovation in India as “extraordinary”, and highlighted how the commonwealth countries are benefiting from the technology and expertise by India.
Sharing her thoughts on globalization and digitalization, Secretary General Scotland spoke to ANI ahead of the 2024 Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting that is scheduled to take place in Zanzibar, Tanzania from Monday. Underlining India’s vital role in digiltalisation, Scotland stressed that India has brought extraordinary innovations for digitalization and is making an “incredible contribution to the Commonwealth family”. “India represents almost a half of the Commonwealth because India is now almost 1.4 billion and the innovations that India has brought in for digitalization, has been extraordinary. And many of our countries have really taken advantage of this opportunity. The innovation coming out of India has been really not just advantageous to India itself, but because of India’s willingness to share her technology to share her expertise,” she said.
Speaking to ANI, Scotland added, “This has really benefited all of our Commonwealth. So, India is making an incredible contribution to our Commonwealth family, and we are really grateful that she is sharing everything she has.”
The 2024 Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting, hosted by the Republic of Tanzania, will focus on the theme ‘Technology and Innovation: How digitalisation paves the way for the development of people-centred access to justice’.
During the meeting, law ministers and attorneys-general from across the Commonwealth will discuss recent legal developments in their jurisdictions and explore responses to emerging justice issues affecting Commonwealth citizens.
The meeting agenda will cover a wide range of issues, including digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, the protection of women and girls, strengthened access to justice for people with disabilities and developments in climate policy and legislation.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General also lauded India’s move of including the African Union as a member of G20. “Some of our least developed countries have been extraordinarily innovative. If you think about the contribution that has been made by so many in our region, in the Commonwealth, in the Commonwealth Caribbean, I think we have one of the highest per capita Nobel laureates. So, … every one of us is giving, what we have to, and India’s contribution has been extraordinary. Ofcourse, India’s G20. Which meant that India joined Africa to the G20 and made it G21. A very important contribution from your beautiful country,” Scotland stated.
Providing details about her upcoming visit to India later this month, She said she will be visiting the heartfulness center in Hyderabad, where President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will be focusing how we can bring people of all races or religions together to enhance peace
“I’m going to go to Hyderabad and in Hyderabad, I’m going to the heartfulness center. I understand that the President and Vice President of India will also be going there and they will be keynote speakers as will I. We are looking at peace in the Commonwealth. We’re looking at how we can bring people of all races or religions together to enhance peace, and we have faith in our Commonwealth,” the Secretary General said.
Earlier in January, Patricia Scotland was honoured by the Heartfulness Institute in India for her service to the education, growth, and success of young people across 56 Commonwealth countries. She emphasised on looking into prospects on using digital, AI and technological revolution to help investment and opportunity for the entire Commonwealth.
“I’m really looking forward to that and of course Hyderabad as I mentioned earlier, the center of digital and AI and technological revolution. And so I will be looking at how we can take advantage of all of that to help investment, to help opportunity for the whole of our Commonwealth but particularly the 1.5 billion young people under the age of 30 who are today’s leaders and will be the leaders of tomorrow,” she added. (ANI)
