November 20, 2013
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was selected for this year's prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace
November 20, 2013
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was selected for this year's prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace
NEW DELHI: Chancellor Angela Merkel, the first woman to be elected to the highest German office, was on Tuesday selected for this year's prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for her role in global affairs and especially the crises confronting the global economy and European Union since the 2008 economic meltdown. She was chosen by an international jury, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Announcing the award, coinciding with the late Indian Prime Minister's birth anniversary, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust said Dr Merkel was chosen for her "exemplary leadership in Europe and the world during the financial crisis, her stewardship of German economic growth and the promotion of global economic stability, her commitment to universal peace and disarmament, and her leadership role in strengthening productive and mutually beneficial relations with India and other developing countries".
"She has been an advocate of a strong transatlantic partnership, a votary of global peace and disarmament and a voice of reason and restraint on the crises in West Asia. At home, she has launched a significant reform agenda, stimulating economic growth and maintaining Germany's competitiveness as well as strongly advocating clean energy policies," said a Trust statement.
The 59-year-old German leader, who became the Chancellor in 2005, was president of the European Council in 2007 when she chaired the G-8 and in the years since she played a significant role as the global financial crisis deepened.
The Trust also acknowledged Dr Merkel's contribution to boost Indo-German ties since the 2006 Joint Declaration that led to inter-governmental consultations with her visit to India in 2011.
Courtesy: TNN
