The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, opened the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro this Monday, positioning the fight against hunger and poverty as the central axis of the forum amid tensions over a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine.
During his speech, Lula presented the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, defined as the main legacy of the Brazilian presidency of the G20, and urged world leaders to adopt concrete measures against growing social and economic inequalities.
“This is unacceptable on a planet that has the resources to feed everyone,” he stated, emphasizing that hunger is not a problem of scarcity, but a consequence of “political decisions that perpetuate social exclusion.” Lula also criticized global military spending, which amounts to $2.4 trillion annually, calling it an inefficient use of resources that could be used to improve the quality of life of millions of people.
The G20 and the search for global consensus
In his speech, Lula highlighted the importance of the G20, which represents 85% of global GDP and 75% of world trade, to lead the fight against inequalities. “It is up to those of us here to put an end to this scourge that shames humanity,” he stated, underlining that the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty already has the support of 81 countries, 28 international organizations, 9 institutions. financial institutions and 31 philanthropic foundations.
However, the path towards a consensus is not without challenges. Experts and diplomats at the summit noted that global tensions, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, have complicated the possibility of reaching a meaningful joint declaration. Countries such as Argentina expressed objections to key proposals, such as a global tax on the super-rich and the promotion of gender equality. Even so, President Milei decided at the last minute to sign the document with which the event is expected to close this Tuesday.
The main Brazilian negotiator at the G20, Ambassador Mauricio Lyrio, expressed that the main focus of the summit is to launch concrete actions, such as the aforementioned alliance against hunger, while negotiations continue to reach acceptable language in the final declaration.
Lula: “I decided not to bring war to the G20”
Amid tensions over conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Lula defended his decision not to focus the summit agenda on wars. “I have decided not to bring war to the G20 because, if not, we would not discuss other important things for the people who are not at war, the invisible people of the world,” he said in an interview prior to the start of the summit with Globonews.
However, Lula advocated peace on all open fronts and recalled that the planet faces more armed conflicts simultaneously than at any other time since 1945. “We want to send a clear message: we want peace in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Ukraine. “We want to end all wars,” he said.
The international presence and diplomatic challenges
The summit included the participation of key leaders, such as the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, while the Russian President Vladimir Putin was the main absentee due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
The international context is even more complicated after Donald Trump’s recent victory in the United States presidential elections, which generates uncertainty about the future of multilateralism. “If something is clear, it is Trump’s skepticism towards international agreements,” Professor Cristiane Lucena Carneiro, of the University of São Paulo, told the AP.
Lula sought to balance his stance as a mediator in a multipolar world, but his initiatives, such as a peace plan with China for Ukraine, have generated controversy. Additionally, recent comparisons of Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust have sparked diplomatic tensions.
Rio de Janeiro: a mirror of global inequalities
Lula described Rio de Janeiro, host of the summit, as a microcosm of the world’s deep contradictions: a vibrant and diverse city, but marked by inequality and social injustices. This duality, he noted, is representative not only of Brazil, but of Latin America and the world in general, where wealth and poverty coexist in an extreme way.
The president recalled the progress made during his previous mandates (2003-2010), when policies such as the National School Feeding Program and support for family farming managed to remove Brazil from the FAO Hunger Map in 2014. However, he regretted that the country would appear on that list again in 2022 due to the dismantling of social programs.
Since his return to power in 2023, Lula assured that 24 million Brazilians have escaped extreme poverty in the last year, thanks to the implementation of renewed social policies. The president reiterated his commitment to continue with these initiatives until 2026, with the aim of guaranteeing a fair redistribution of resources and the eradication of hunger in the country.
Towards a global legacy
Closing his speech, Lula reiterated that the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, although conceived in the G20, has a vision of global impact. “May this summit be remembered for the courage to act,” he concluded, reaffirming Brazil’s intention to lead a movement towards a more just, sustainable and inclusive development.
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How does President Lula’s focus on hunger and poverty at the G20 summit reflect the current global priorities, and what implications does this have for international cooperation?
1. Introduction: How significant is it for the president of Brazil to open the G20 summit with a focus on the fight against hunger and poverty in light of the ongoing global tensions? Can you explain the importance of the G20 in addressing these issues?
2. Fight against hunger and poverty: President Lula announced the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty as the main legacy of the Brazilian presidency of the G20. How does this initiative aim to address the growing social and economic inequalities worldwide? What are the main challenges faced in achieving this goal?
3. Military spending: President Lula criticized global military spending, emphasizing its inefficiency in improving the quality of life of millions of people. He called for a more sustainable and inclusive approach to international development. How do you see other world leaders reacting to this call?
4. The search for global consensus: Experts and diplomats have highlighted the difficulty in reaching a meaningful joint declaration due to ongoing global tensions. What role do you see the G20 playing in finding common ground and promoting peaceful resolutions to these conflicts?
5. Brazil’s leadership and diplomatic challenges: Brazil’s peace plan with China for Ukraine has generated controversy, and recent comparisons of Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust have sparked diplomatic tensions. How does Lula navigate these challenges while maintaining Brazil’s position as a mediator in the world?
6. Rio de Janeiro as a mirror of global inequalities: The city of Rio de Janeiro is hosting the G20 summit. Can you discuss how the city’s challenges, such as inequality and social injustices, reflect broader global issues? How does Brazil plan to address these issues?
7. Lula’s commitment to eradicating poverty: Lula has promised to continue with social policies aimed at redistributing resources and eradicating hunger in Brazil until 2026. Can you elaborate on these policies and their potential impact on reducing poverty in the country?
8. Conclusion: What legacy does President Lula hope the G20 summit will leave behind, and how will Brazil’s leadership in the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty contribute to this vision of a more
