President Tinubu arrives Brazil for G20 summit

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 19th Heads of State and Government Summit of the Group of 20 (G20).

The President, who arrived on Sunday at 11.03 p.m. local time, (Monday 3. 03 a.m. Nigerian time) was received by Amb. Breno Costa in the Ministry of External Relations of Brazil.

He was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and the Minister of Art, Tourism, Culture and Creativity, Hannatu Musawa.

Others are the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed.

Tinubu is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit on the advancement of Nigeria’s socio-economic reforms.

The President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, is hosting the 2024 G20 summit, having held the group’s rotating presidency since December 21, 2023. His tenure ends on November 30.

The summit, with the theme: “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,” will focus on three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social, and environmental – and the reform of global governance

It will also highlight the rising global temperatures and the principles of the digital economy, among other themes.

The Brazilian presidency will also treat as a priority, the Israel–Hamas war, and the rising bloc confrontation between the United States and China.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conclusion of the work carried out by the country holding the G20 rotating presidency is usually presented at the annual summit.

It is the moment when heads of state and government approve the agreements negotiated throughout the year and point out ways of dealing with global challenges.

NAN also reports that the Leaders’ Summit, the climax of the G20 work carried out over the year through Ministerial Meetings, Working Groups, and Engagement Groups, would be presented for adoption at the summit.

The summit will be attended by 19 member countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, and Indonesia.

Others are Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the US.

In line with the theme of the summit, Da Silva declared a three-point agenda of combating hunger, poverty and inequality at the summit scheduled to be held from November 18 to November 19.

Tinubu is attending the 2024 G20 summit as the organisers invited representatives of the African Union and the European Union.

The Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Areias, conveyed Da Silva’s invitation to Tinubu to attend the 2024 G20 summit on Aug. 29, when he presented his Letter of Credence to him.

Areias had said Da Silva was looking forward to welcoming Tinubu to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, saying that food security was the main proposal of the Brazilian presidency at the G20 to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.