The chief diplomats of the world’s 20 largest economies will meet starting Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro to address “urgent issues” such as international conflicts and reform of global governance institutions.
A Brazilian government source told Lusa that, with the exception of two or three countries (such as China and Italy, which will come with deputy ministers), all others should be represented by foreign ministers.
The same source said that the Brazilian government has received instructions from the Russian side that the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, will be present on Wednesday and Thursday in Rio de Janeiro.
European diplomacy chief Josep Borrell and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also be present at the event, which will also be attended by Portuguese and Angolan diplomatic chiefs Joao Gomes Cravinho and Tete António, as well as guests respectively and the executive secretary of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) Zacarias da Costa.
In a statement, the Brazilian government stressed that the meeting of G20 foreign ministers is taking place at “a time of great geopolitical instability, with crises unfolding in various regions of the world.”
“Among the most pressing topics to be discussed are the situation in the Middle East and the Russian offensive in Ukraine, which continue to cause global concern due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the geopolitical and economic consequences of the conflicts,” the Brazilian emphasized. diplomat.
In recent days, Brazilian President Lula da Silva has sparked diplomatic friction with Israel by comparing the attacks on the Gaza Strip to the Holocaust, when “Hitler decided to kill the Jews.”
On the other hand, Lavrov’s expected presence in Rio de Janeiro will also come after the death of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny last week.
Unlike Western leaders who were quick to blame the Kremlin, Brazilian diplomacy offered no condolences, and Lula da Silva said in Addis Ababa on Sunday that “if a death is suspected, an investigation must first be carried out.” find out why the citizen died.”
Another of the main points that has been one of the flags of the Brazilian government and that should be discussed at the meetings is the “need for reforms in global governance institutions” such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and multilateral banks.
The priorities of the Brazilian presidency, as part of its mandate at the head of the G20, are the fight against hunger, poverty and inequality, sustainable development and the reform of global governance, namely the UN Security Council, which Lula da Silva champions. since taking office as President of Brazil, denouncing the lack of representation and legitimacy of major international organizations.
Brazil, which holds the G20 presidency from the first day of December 2023, has invited Portugal, Angola, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Nigeria, Norway and Singapore to become observers in the organization.
Throughout Brazil’s mandate, Portugal will attend more than 100 working group meetings at technical and ministerial level in five Brazilian regions, culminating in the Heads of State and Government Summit in Rio de Janeiro. November 18 and 19, 2024
The members of the G20 are 19 of the world’s largest economies: the USA, China, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, France, Japan, Italy, India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, as well as the European Union and the African Union.
The group, created in 1999 after successive financial crises in the 1990s, seeks to encourage international negotiations through enhanced dialogue and taking into account the growing economic weight of some countries, which together account for 90% of global GDP. 80% of world trade (including intra-EU trade) and two thirds of the world’s population.
This is a group that has significant influence on the governance of the financial system and the global economy.
The G20 studies, analyzes and facilitates discussions among the richest and developing countries on policy issues related to promoting international financial stability and considers issues beyond the organization’s responsibilities.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.