The Brazilian mandate will last one year; Lula will try to influence changes in organizations such as the United Nations and the IMF
This Friday (December 1, 2023), Brazil assumes the rotating presidency of the G20, a group that brings together the 19 most industrialized countries in the world, as well as the European Union and the African Union. It is the first time the country has led the bloc in its current form. The mandate runs until November 30, 2024.
Leading the bloc is seen by the Brazilian government as one of the most important opportunities for international presence during the third term of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira summarized the Brazilian motto in a statement at the opening of the G20 National Commission: “If the year 2023 marks the return of Brazil to the world, 2024 will be the year the world returns to Brazil.”
One of Lula’s goals in office is to discuss changes in global governance bodies such as the UN (United Nations) and international financial institutions such as the IMF (International Monetary Fund).
The PT member frequently complains about current lending rules for developing countries and criticizes the nations’ lack of ability to reach consensus on current issues such as the conflicts between Israel and the extremist group Hamas, in the Middle East, and between Russia and Ukraine. , in Europe.
At the start of the current government’s first year, Lula hoped to emerge as a world leader capable of formulating resolutions to conflicts. Due to a number of factors, including controversial statements, the president lost ground and was eventually excluded from talks between leaders of other countries.
The G20 headquarters in Brazil also makes life easier for Lula in other ways. The president said he would make fewer international trips in 2024 to focus his activities domestically. He said he wanted to visit every state in the country to see the work and actions of the federal government.
Behind the promise is a call for the PT and its allies to increase the number of elected mayors in next year’s elections. This is one of Lula’s main goals to pave the way for reelection in 2026.
Brazil in the G20
According to the government, the priority issues of the Brazilian presidency will be:
- combating hunger, poverty and inequality;
- 3 dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental;
- Global Governance Reform.
Throughout the year, Brazil will organize and host more than 100 virtual and inperson technical meetings and ministerial conferences. The meetings were expected to focus on Rio, but events are planned for cities in the country’s five regions. The 19th summit of heads of state is scheduled to take place in the capital Rio de Janeiro from November 18th to 19th, 2024.
The G20 National Commission was launched on November 23rd at a ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto. Lula attended the event.
There are two interconnected storylines in the G20: the socalled Sherpa Track and the Finance Track. The Brazilian Sherpa responsible for overseeing the negotiations and coordinating most of the work is diplomat Maurício Lyrio, Secretary of Economy and Finance in Itamaraty.
The Finance Track consists of the economic ministers and presidents of the countries’ central banks. The Brazilian coordinator is Tatiana Rosito, Secretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance.
On September 10, Lula symbolically received the presidency of the G20 from the hands of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 18th G20 Summit of Heads of State and Government in New Delhi. The Indian handed the Brazilian the hammer representing the position.
At that time, Lula also made a controversial statement in an interview with Indian journalist Palki Sharma of Firstpost in which he said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be arrested if he came to Brazil.
Putin was convicted by the ICC (International Criminal Court) in March 2023 for alleged war crimes and illegal deportation and transfer of children from occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. Brazil is a signatory to the ICC. After the statement, Lula criticized the organization’s membership and said he could check it.