NEW DELHI
Brazil which will take over presidency of the G20 from India would like to bring back to centre stage discussions on the concept of sustainable development in all its three dimensions – environment, social and economic, said Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega, Brazilian Envoy in India. The other priorities would be development financing, trade and commitment to gender equality, he said yesterday.
“We associate the Indian presidency with tireless consensus building efforts as stepping stones for significant results achieved during this year. Perhaps, we haven’t got those joint statements in a number of meetings, but it doesn’t mean that the discussions were not fruitful. At least, it is the sense I get from my colleagues who have participated in a number of Ministerial meetings,” Mr. Nóbrega said speaking at a discussion on G20 at the Observer Research Foundation. “It is undoubtedly an ambitious agenda, in very challenging times... It’s an ambitious agenda fit for a country like India which has become a major player in the world arena.”
Brazil to host G20 in 2024
Mr. Nóbrega presented credentials as the Brazilian Envoy to The President of India on August 21. Brazil will host the G20 presidency in 2024 and the international climate meeting, Conference of Parties (COP) 30, in 2025.
Talking of Brazil’s priorities during the presidency, Mr. Nóbrega said for them the starting point is that, G20 is the premier forum in the field of economic cooperation where developed and developing countries have a chance to seek solutions to common global challenges. “We of course live in a time of many crises,” he noted.
Talking of factors that can undermine global progress over decades of multilateral cooperation, the Envoy referred to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and said in the last few years, we are seeing that progress achieved in terms of multilateral trading systems has been eroded. Faced with this reality, we think that its essential to use the G20 to mobilise the international community around a cohesive front for sustainable development with special attention on eradicating poverty, he stated. However, he added, “G20 is no substitute for the meaningful reform of multilateral institutions of global governance.”
Among the 20 member states and nine invitees, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping have confirmed that they would not be travelling to Delhi for the summit while Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is unlikely to attend. A joint communique seems likely with differences over Ukraine and climate change.
Climate guilt
The Envoy noted that there is a historic tendency specially among developed countries to prioritise environment preservation over economic development and social inclusion when discussing sustainable development. “That is why Brazil seeks to bring back to centre stage the full concept of sustainable development.”
He said Third World countries don’t carry such historical responsibility for climate change and such an approach also undermines their pursuit of development - for instance financing. In this context, identifying development financing as the second priority, Mr. Nóbrega said. “In the financial sector, the Brazilian Presidency will seek to establish better connection between finance and Sherpa tracks aiming to ensure that funding for development and climate action is directed towards developing and developed countries.”
He said the G20 could play an important role in identifying new and additional resources to finance sustainable development. “First, developed economies of the G20 must fulfil their commitments towards Official Development Assistance (ODA) and we have a clear roadmap which is the Addis Ababa action agenda of 2015,”
Mr. Nóbrega said he grouping should explore innovative financing mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, debt-relief initiatives and initiatives which include technology transfer and capacity building. They should be more agile, and take into account the real needs of developing countries, the Envoy said while stressing that in devising these new financial mechanisms, it should be noted that developing countries struggle with high debt and many have not recovered from the pandemic crisis.
