Quad summit in Wilmington reaffirms strategic alignment, announces major initiatives for the Indo-Pacific
- In Reports
- 01:22 PM, Sep 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
The Quad is more strategically aligned than ever and has become a force for good, delivering real, positive, and enduring impact for the Indo-Pacific, stated the Wilmington Declaration, issued following the Quad Summit on Friday. The summit, hosted by US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The declaration emphasised the long-term commitment of the Quad, stating, “The Quad is here to stay.” Key upcoming events were announced, including the next Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the Quad Leaders’ Summit, both of which will be hosted by the US and India, respectively, in 2025. Additionally, a Quad Regional Ports and Transportation Conference is expected to be held in Mumbai the same year.
The Quad leaders highlighted their increasing cooperation, stating, “Altogether, our four countries are cooperating at an unprecedented pace and scale.” Upcoming meetings between the Commerce and Industry Ministers and the heads of the Development Finance Institutions of the four nations were also welcomed, aimed at boosting investments across the Indo-Pacific region.
A significant announcement from the summit was the launch of the Quad Cancer Moonshot, a partnership designed to combat cancer in the Indo-Pacific, beginning with a focus on cervical cancer. India, with a $10 million commitment to the WHO’s Global Initiative on Digital Health, will offer technical assistance to countries in the region for the deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure to aid in cancer screening and care.
The Serum Institute of India, in partnership with Gavi, pledged to support orders of up to 40 million HPV vaccine doses, subject to approvals, for the Indo-Pacific, a move welcomed by the Quad leaders.
Another key initiative is the first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission, planned for 2025, involving the US, Japan, Australia, and India’s coast guards. This mission aims to enhance maritime safety and improve interoperability between the nations. The launch of the regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) was also announced, with India set to host the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025. This initiative will enable regional partners to better monitor their waters and enforce maritime laws.
The summit also revealed the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, which aims to enhance shared airlift capacity and collective logistics strengths for quicker and more efficient responses to natural disasters.
In the area of infrastructure development, the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership was introduced to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific.
On the global stage, the Quad leaders called for reform of the UN Security Council, emphasising the need for the body to be more representative, transparent, and efficient. The Wilmington Declaration stated that the reformed Security Council should include permanent representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
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