G20 Radio Bulletin 138 - Natal is confirmed as the 16th host city for the G20 meeting

In September and October, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, a state in the Northeast region of Brasil, will host meetings of the Health Working Group and the Anti-Corruption Working Group of the G20. In addition to the technical meetings, a ministerial meeting will also be held in the city Listen to the report and learn more.

Reporter: The city of Natal, capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, will host G20 events in September and October. Meetings of the Health Working Group will be held on September 2 and 3. The technical meeting of the Anti-Corruption Working Group (GTAC) will be held on October 22 and 23, and the ministerial meeting of the G20 Anti-Corruption Group will be held on October 24. The new host city for the agendas of the largest forum of international cooperation was confirmed by the Minister of the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), Vinicius Marques de Carvalho, and the governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Fátima Bezerra. According to the CGU minister, the addition of Natal as a host city is an opportunity for Brasil to demonstrate its good practices and performance.

Vinicius Marques de Carvalho: I think we have a very important task to accomplish regarding the principles in the declaration that will be produced, which will allow Brazilian society to see the progress of several countries discussing a topic in a coordinated manner. 

Reporter: Regarding the Health Working Group, the objective is to identify the points of consensus between the member countries that can be taken for the ministers´ consideration at the ministerial meeting scheduled for October 31 in Rio de Janeiro. Before that, in Natal, the last in-person technical meeting will take place to discuss two urgent issues in particular, as informed by Ambassador Alexandre Ghisleni, head of the Special Advisory on International Affairs of the Ministry of Health and coordinator of the Health Working Group.

Alexandre Ghisleni: One of them is the Brasil's proposal to create a global alliance for the local and regional production of medicines, vaccines and diagnostic materials, focusing on neglected diseases in underserved populations. And we will also focus the discussion on the impact of climate change on health, its relationship with the equity issue. It is a rich and ambitious agenda that summarizes the main points we have so far in the Brazilian presidency in terms of health.

Reporter: Holding the meetings in Natal reinforces initiatives by the Brazilian government that are internationally recognized. Among the anti-corruption initiatives are the Anti-Corruption Law, the Brazilian Business Pact for Integrity, and the Preventive Audit in Public Bidding system, executed by the Comptroller General of the Union. In the health sector, Brasil's proposal to the G20 supports the adoption of universal health systems to tackle the challenges of global health governance. Based on the Unified Health System (SUS), the proposal emphasizes that everyone has the right to medical, hospital and comprehensive health care.