RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 18 (Alliance News): G20 leaders are meeting in Brazil to discuss critical global issues like poverty reduction, climate financing, and multilateral cooperation.
This summit marks the last participation of US President Joe Biden, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to take center stage, presenting himself as a defender of free trade amid the challenges posed by Donald Trump’s “America First” approach.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is using the summit to highlight Global South issues and emphasize the fight against climate change.
The summit is being held at Rio de Janeiro’s renowned Museum of Modern Art, with tight security following a failed bomb attack in Brasilia by a suspected far-right extremist.
While Biden wraps up his diplomatic tour of Latin America, the G20 summit is held alongside the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, where discussions on climate finance for developing countries are stalling.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for G20 members, who account for 80% of global emissions, to show leadership on climate action.
Brazil, facing extreme weather events like its worst wildfire season in years, is urging for greater climate commitments. Meanwhile, Lula has launched a “Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty,” stressing the need for global action to address the 733 million people who suffer from hunger. Brazil is also advocating for higher taxes on billionaires to fund these efforts.
Notably absent from the summit is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.
