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RIO DE JANEIRO/WAM
Until Friday (26th), Rio de Janeiro will host a series of high-level meetings between economic authorities from the G20 (Group of 20) countries. The week will also feature events bringing together ministers from social sectors, according to information from Agência Brasil, a partner of WAM.
As a practical result of the first meeting, the G20 Ministers of Development recognised technology as an important tool for reducing inequalities worldwide. In a document released this Monday (22nd), the group highlighted the importance of technology transfer between countries, access to digital technologies, and the benefits of artificial intelligence to reduce social and economic disparities between nations.
“This can enable rapid transformation, combat inequalities within and between countries, and accelerate the achievement of sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social, and environmental – as well as the delivery of public services,” states the document called the G20 Development Ministerial Declaration to Reduce Inequalities.
Among the agreed points, the ministers reaffirm their commitment to “reduce digital disparities and promote the inclusive use of data for development, leverage the benefits of safe, secure, and reliable artificial intelligence (AI) for good and for all in a responsible, inclusive, and human-centred manner, improve access to digital services and public digital infrastructure, and leverage digital transformation opportunities to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.”
The Development Meeting, within the G20 framework, ends this Tuesday (23rd).
HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS
Also in Rio de Janeiro, there will be a meeting of representatives of finance ministers and central bank governors from G20 member countries. The meetings are part of the Finance Track, a branch of the group that deals with economic issues.
Delegations from the countries will participate in discussions to draft a joint document to be delivered to finance ministers and central bank governors, who will hold meetings on Thursday (25th) and Friday (26th). The content of the Finance Track will be one of the key topics of the G20 summit on 18th and 19th November, also in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together heads of state and government from G20 countries.
One of the highlights of this week will be the pre-launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, one of the priorities of Brazil’s G20 presidency. The event, taking place this Wednesday (24th), will be attended by Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
As reported by WAM last week, the Brazilian government aims to develop a set of actions to eradicate global poverty, involving methods of raising and distributing resources, as well as sharing successful experiences.
GROUP 20
The G20 is the group formed by South Africa, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, the United States, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey, the European Union, and the African Union, which received member status at the New Delhi Summit last year. The G20 accounts for about 85% of the world’s GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population. The next presidency of the group will be held by South Africa.