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 Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development; and Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Tourism, Culture, and Creativity.

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

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

Mr Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, is hosting

the 2024 G20 summit having held the group’s rotating presidency since Dec. 21, 2023. His tenure ends on Nov. 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 of global temperatures and the principles of the digital economy, among other themes.

The Brazilian presidency will also treat as priorities the Israel-Hamas war and rising bloc confrontation between the United States and China.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 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 that include 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 hold from Nov. 18 to Nov. 19.

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

Mr. Carlos Areias, Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, conveyed President 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 President 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.