The G20 summit commenced on November 17, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, amid significant geopolitical tensions stemming from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Delegations from 55 countries and international organizations are convening at the Museum of Modern Art, with heightened security measures involving approximately 20,000 military and police personnel.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is hosting leaders including Joe Biden (USA), Xi Jinping (China), Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico), Javier Milei (Argentina), Narendra Modi (India), Emmanuel Macron (France), and Olaf Scholz (Germany). Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, represents Russia, as President Vladimir Putin declined the invitation due to an international arrest warrant related to the conflict in Ukraine.
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, approaching its third anniversary, poses a significant challenge to Brazil's efforts to achieve a consensus declaration. The escalating conflict in the Middle East has resulted in an estimated 45,000 deaths in Gaza and 3,500 in Lebanon over the past year due to Israeli offensives.
Brazil aims to focus the summit on three main issues: eradicating hunger, reforming international organizations, and ensuring a just energy transition. Lula plans to launch the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a key initiative aimed at combating rising global inequality, with 39 countries and 30 organizations already committed.
Another key agenda item is a proposed global tax on the ultra-wealthy, which has faced opposition from countries like the USA and Germany. Discussions on energy transition will take place during a plenary session on November 18, with emerging nations calling for equitable financing from developed countries for environmental preservation.
The summit may be further complicated by uncertainties surrounding the potential return of Donald Trump as President of the USA and Milei's opposition to the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Argentina's withdrawal from agreements on women's empowerment and sustainable development during recent summits raises concerns about negotiations in Rio.