Foreign ministers begin two-day ministerial meeting under Brazilian presidency of the group on Wednesday

02/21/2024

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Maurício Lyrio — Foto: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Despite acknowledging divergences among G20 countries regarding the format of reforms at the United Nations, the Brazilian presidency of the group believes there is consensus regarding the need for a stronger UN to address international conflicts.

This analysis was made on Tuesday (20) by the Secretary of Economic and Financial Affairs of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maurício Lyrio, during the presentation of the agenda for the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, which begins this Wednesday (21) in Rio de Janeiro.

The meeting is the first at the ministerial level under Brazil’s presidency of the group and will extend until Thursday (22). According to Mr. Lyrio, discussions will focus on ongoing international conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflicts in Gaza, as well as reforms in global governance, as previously reported by Valor in January.

Mr. Lyrio serves as Brazil’s sherpa in the G20, a term that designates a country’s representative at the international summit. The coordinator assesses that the current level of international conflicts creates unprecedented pressure on the composition and format of multilateral organizations such as the UN.

“There is consensus on the need for a strong UN capable of facing global challenges. The final form of this update faces divergences, but the urgency we have today, with the level of conflicts returning to Cold War standards, generates pressure and urgency on the topic that did not exist before,” he said.

Mr. Lyrio emphasized that, in Brazil’s view, the UN needs to undergo effective reform to become a structural and effective instrument in conflict prevention.

“The Brazilian government’s defense of peace applies to all conflicts. But one thing is to work for peace, another is to have a structural action. [Today] We are putting out fires,” he said.

The statements were made amid escalating diplomatic tension between Brazil and Israel after President Lula compared the situation in the Gaza Strip to the Holocaust, prompting an immediate reaction from the Israeli government.

Asked whether President Lula’s statements could hinder Brazil’s role as a mediator in international conflicts, the government representative denied: “The peace call that the president has been making from the beginning is absolutely crucial.”

He even mentioned that the resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict, presented at the UN Security Council, is a priority for the Brazilian government. When informed by reporters that the proposal had been vetoed, he expressed dissatisfaction. “I imagine there was a veto exercised,” he observed. The United States vetoed the proposition on Tuesday, for the third time since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas.

The meetings of the foreign ministers are taking place at Marina da Glória, in the southern zone of Rio. The discussions involve the 19 countries that are part of the group of the world’s major economies, the European Union, and the African Union, as well as countries and international organizations invited by Brazil. The Brazilian presidency of the G20 will hold a second meeting of foreign ministers in September, parallel to the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York.

*Por Paula Martini, Caio Sartori — Rio de Janeiro

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com/