On Wednesday, G20 ministers gathered in Rio de Janeiro to address pressing global conflicts and governance challenges in preparation for the annual leaders’ summit chaired by Brazil’s President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva.
Lula has emphasised that the G20’s top priority this year should be tackling climate change, reorganising global governance, and reducing poverty. Yet, there are still several active conflicts in the region, such as the tensions in Gaza and Russia-Ukraine, which makes it difficult to move forward with governance reforms in the biggest economies in the world.
Brazil has made a strong case for the extension of the Security Council and has been outspoken in its support for UN reform. However, veto-holding countries’ opposition has hampered progress and exposed significant differences between member states on UN reforms.
Diplomats can express their concerns and start conversations about multilateral reform during the Rio gathering. President Lula’s recent deterioration of diplomatic relations with Israel over his criticism of the UN’s handling of the Israel-Palestine problem served as a reminder of the complexity of international disputes.
In total, the G20 countries account for about two-thirds of the world’s population, over 75% of global trade, and 85% of global GDP.
