G20 leaders released this Monday, on the first day of the Rio de Janeiro summit, a final declaration of minimumdespite the Argentine president, Javier Mileion ‘Donald Trump mode’ and on the American’s shooing off Joe Biden in the middle of the day.
Brazilwhich holds the rotating presidency of the G20, succeeded in unblocking the forum by bringing the world’s most powerful economies together on issues such as the wars in the Middle East and North Africa. Ukraine and the Middle East, the fight against climate change and the superrich tax.
The meeting held at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio materialized these efforts, although with very vague language and without concrete objectives to solve these problems that have strained international relations as never before since the Cold War.
The G20 thus expressed its “deep concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon”, the target of bombardments and invasions by the Israeli Army for the past year.
On Ukraine, heading into its third year under Russian invasion, the leaders “highlighted the human suffering and negative repercussions” related to the war “on global food and energy security, supply chains and macro-financial stability.”
At no time did they mention RussiaG20 member Russia, as well as the US, the European Union and China.
Milei plays Trump
The 85-point declaration also included a commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and accelerate action to meet them on time.
To this end, the G20 launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with the support of 82 countries and the mandate to eradicate this scourge, which today affects 733 million people.
However, Milei, declared enemy of the SDGs.announced in a separate statement that, for the first time since Argentina has been in the G20, his government “signed the declaration of presidents dissociating itself from all the content related to the 2030 Agenda”.
However, their objections did not block disclosure of the document.
In line with Republican tycoon Donald Trump, who in January will assume the US presidency, Milei declared the G20 “in crisis”. and affirmed that he does not agree with what, in his opinion, limits freedom of expression in social networks and sponsors “the scheme of imposition” of the institutions of global governance.
“Whether out of malice or ignorance, most modern governments have insisted on the error that fighting hunger and poverty requires greater state intervention,” he said during his speech at the first plenary, which was attended by Joe Biden (USA), Xi Jinping (China), Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico), Emmanuel Macron (France), Gabriel Boric (Chile), Gustavo Petro (Colombia) and Pedro Sánchez (Spain), among other leaders.
The opposite of Lulawho considered it “essential” to end hunger in order to achieve “a peaceful world” and urged the G20 to act.
For Milei, capitalism is enough, since -he said- “the free market has already lifted 90% of the global population out of extreme poverty”.
Argentina did not appear in the first list of founders of the Alliance published by Brazil. It was the only G20 nation that was not. However, shortly thereafter, Brazil announced the neighboring country’s accession.
It was at the last moment “because it was still in a process of dialogue”, clarified the Brazilian Minister of Social Development, Wellington Dias, in a press conference.
Biden arrives late for the photo and leaves for the hotel
For his part, Biden, just weeks before the end of his term, was half absent. He participated in the launching of the Alliance and in the first plenary on how to eradicate social inequalities.
The leaders then left for a family photo with the ‘Cidade Maravilhosa’ in the background, but Biden arrived late. He then left for his hotel and missed the second debate on the reform of international organizations.
Lula again opened the session, which like the first was behind closed doors, except for his intervention, broadcast live, and affirmed that “the omissions of the Security Council are a threat to peace”.
For this Tuesday, G20 leaders plan to discuss energy transition and sustainable development.another point of disagreement between rich and emerging countries, which are demanding robust financing to preserve the environment.
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