India 'exceptionally organized' G20 Summit: Brazilian president
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday reportedly lauded India's G20 Presidency after the culmination of the G20 Summit on Sunday. He also expressed gratitude for the "great warmth" he received from the Indian people. On Brazil hosting the G20 Summit in 2024, da Silva stated, "Brazil has the (perfect) conditions to be the host country of G20 next year. We want to use many cities in Brazil to organize a great number of events there."
Why does this story matter?
It's worth noting that the Brazilian president's comments come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially marked the conclusion of the G20 Summit in New Delhi on Sunday by handing over the G20 Presidency to da Silva. Also, he handed over the ceremonial gavel to the Brazilian president to mark the transfer of the presidency during the two-day summit's third and final session.
Brazilian president on Xi, Putin skipping G20 Summit
Furthermore, on Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin skipping the two-day summit in India, da Silva said he wasn't aware of the reason behind their absence. However, he added, "But I will invite them, and I hope that they will come to Brazil and participate in the summit (next year). I hope that when we open the summit in Brazil...there is no more war, and we are back to normal times (sic)."
Clean energy to take center stage at next Summit
During Brazil's G20 Presidency, energy transition is likely to be a major topic of discussion as President da Silva highlighted his country's potential in clean energy production. He further claimed that 90% of Brazil's electrical power is clean. Notably, India, Brazil, and the United States (US) on Saturday also launched the Global Biofuel Alliance to promote sustainable production and use of biofuels.
Tackling inequality: Brazil's comprehensive approach
According to the news agency ANI, President da Silva also revealed that Brazil will try to address issues like inequality in race, gender, poverty, education, health, and hunger during its presidency. "I'm one of the founder members of G20," he added while noting that important meetings like the G20 Summit prove the significance of a multipolar world.
Video of Brazilian president's address
Details on Brazilian president's talks with PM Modi
Earlier on Monday, the Brazilian president also took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "I spoke with the Prime Minister of India [Modi] about the 75 years of diplomatic relations between our countries." "We took stock of the G20, talked about agricultural development and the potential of the Brazil-India Business Leaders Forum and the Global Alliance for Biofuels," he added.
