Brasil announces 13 host cities for G20 thematic meetings
Decentralization turns cities into strategic meeting points for world leaders. Over the course of a year, more than 120 thematic meetings are planned. The Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro
Brasil has announced the 13 host cities that will host G20 working group meetings: Brasília (DF), Belém (PA), Belo Horizonte (MG), Fortaleza (CE), Foz de Iguaçu (PR), Maceió (AL), Manaus (AM), Porto Alegre (RS), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), São Paulo (SP), Salvador (BA), São Luís (MA) and Teresina (PI).
The first meetings are scheduled for December, in Brasilia, at the Itamaraty Palace. Between the 11th and 15th there will be meetings of the Sherpa Track - which oversees the negotiations and discusses the items that make up the summit's agenda, and the Finance Track - which deals with macroeconomic issues. On the 13th, for the first time in history, the Sherpa and Finance tracks will meet jointly at the start of the G20's work, rather than at the end, as was the case at previous summits. Integration between the political and financial spheres at a global level will be a central challenge during these meetings.
The decentralization of activities is an innovation in this edition, transforming the G20 into a more accessible and representative forum. Holding the meetings in the host cities spread across the five regions of the country is also a strategy to promote tourism and cultural exchange and strengthen bilateral relations between the cities and the participating nations. The Secretary for International Relations of the Federal District Government and coordinator of the G20 Brasília, Paco Britto, says that the economic impact, directly and indirectly, will be positive in the Federal Capital.
According to him, the city's hotel chains have more than 500 vacancies available in January and February to welcome visitors. "Historically, the beginning of the year is considered low season in the Federal District, but with the G20 events the city will be busy. We are collaborating with the Brazilian presidency to show a good image of Brasilia and Brasil. We've prepared ourselves to welcome people, and we're going to do everything possible and impossible to make it happen in the best possible way," he said.
Paco Britto believes that Brasil's visibility at the head of the G20 will arouse investor interest. He believes that the G20 meetings not only highlight the country's relevance on the global stage, but also offer a valuable opportunity to address issues specific to each region. "Brasilia, in particular, will gain a lot in the long term. We have the capacity to receive investments and we offer profitability and legal security," he says.
The Secretary of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation of Amazonas, Serafim Corrêa, says that the city of Manaus has a tradition of hosting events, such as the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. He believes that the choice of the city to host G20 meetings shows the relevance of the Amazon to the world, and that this has an immediate effect on the considerable number of people who will be in Manaus.
"The most important economies in the world will be in Manaus and will have the opportunity to get to know our economic model. They will also bring the eyes of the world to see the Amazon in a different light. The other opportunity that we think is very relevant is the discussion of issues that interest the Amazon in these opportunities that we will have," he says.
Ministerial meetings start in February
The first ministerial meeting of the Sherpa Track will be held in Rio de Janeiro on February 21 and 22, 2024. The face-to-face meeting will be coordinated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira. Also in February, on the 28th and 29th, São Paulo will host the ministerial meeting of the Finance Track. Also in person, the event will be coordinated by the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad. The capital of São Paulo will host finance ministers and central bank presidents from the world's largest economies.
The scheduled events encourage the participation of local leaders and populations, companies and organizations, and represent a significant step in the decentralization of global diplomacy and contribute to more equitable and sustainable solutions on a basis of diversity and mutual understanding. The G20 in Brasil in 2024 is not just an event, but an opportunity to redefine international relations in a more inclusive and participatory context.
