Participation of Minister Mauro Vieira in the G20 Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting - New Delhi, India, March 3, 2023

Minister Mauro Vieira participated today, March 2nd, in the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting, in New Delhi, India, where he conveyed the Brazilian position in the two debate sessions. The full texts in English of the speeches are transcribed below.

During the G20 meetings, on March 1-2, Minister Mauro Vieira also held 14 bilateral meetings with chancellors from the Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia, Indonesia, United States, United Arab Emirates, China, Singapore, Oman, Egypt, Germany, Spain and Turkey, and was received for working meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The following is the full text, in English, of Minister Mauro Vieira's interventions in the two thematic working sessions held on March 2nd:

I. Session 1: “Strengthening Multilateralism and Need for Reforms/Food and Energy Security/Development Cooperation”

Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Heads of Delegation,
Representatives of International Organizations,

It is a great honour to represent Brazil in this meeting. Under the leadership of President Lula, our country is once again an active voice in the international system, ready to engage constructively with all nations and to contribute with the global efforts towards the promotion of peace and development.

Allow me to congratulate India for this year´s presidency of the G20 and to express our appreciation for the outgoing Indonesian colleagues. Brazil is honoured to join the Troika and will do its best to support the group’s activities.

Distinguished Ministers,

The world is facing a moment of multiple crises: health, climate, energy, inequality, conflict, and a sense that the international order, as it stands, is no longer effective and legitimate. None of these crises can be overcome by one country alone; in fact, collective action is in high demand.
In this context, we firmly believe that G20 members can and should do more to address the current global challenges, to contribute to the reform of the global governance, and to strengthen development cooperation, with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Hunger and food insecurity have increased in many countries around the world, and Brazil is no exception to this trend. The current global food crisis has been caused by multiple and interrelated factors, that include structural elements such as inequality among and within countries, the Covid-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and unilateral sanctions that, apart from being illegal under international law, do not help to reduce the stress on global food supply chains and energy prices.

President Lula has proposed a global partnership for food security, with the aim of eradicating hunger and reducing inequalities worldwide. In his words, this is a “civilizational challenge for the entire planet”, one that can only be addressed with political will and reinforced multilateralism. To contribute to tackle this critical issue, the G20 could, work in closer coordination with international agencies such as the World Food Program and strengthen its partnerships in this area.

Brazil is aware of its responsibility as one of the largest food suppliers in the context of growing global demand and inflation. We are doing our part, ensuring one of the most sustainable agriculture and livestock in the planet. Under President Lula, we are firmly committed to tackling climate change, protecting the environment and halting and reversing biodiversity loss. At the same time, we see the full normalization of fertilizer production and trade as increasingly a matter of both commercial and humanitarian concern.

There are also opportunities for the G20 to keep moving forward the energy transition agenda, generating benefits for both developed and developing countries. As a country with one of the cleanest energy mixes in the world, Brazil is ready to collaborate and share its experience in this field.

We will also spare no effort to continue to play a leadership role in the negotiations within the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. It is high time for developed countries to deliver on their commitment and accelerate the flow of climate finance to developing nations.

It will also be crucial to progress in agricultural trade liberalization at the World Trade Organization post-MC12, while avoiding restrictive measures.

Diplomacy and multilateralism are needed now more than ever, for the sake of worldwide economic recovery, to eradicate hunger and to ensure development cooperation and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

G20 members have a responsibility to keep the development cooperation agenda moving forward also as a way to contribute to peace and stability.

Mr. Chairman,

In face of all these challenges, the need to reform global governance institutions and to make them more representative of today’s realities becomes even more pressing. This is true as much for the Bretton Woods institutions as it is for the global peace and security architecture centered on the United Nations. We are engaged and will continue to work to strengthen multilateralism, to avoid its fragmentation and to improve it through comprehensive reforms.

The discussions on UN Security Council reform have been dragging on for too long. The time has come for a breakthrough in the negotiations. The international community must press for a reform of the Council that includes expansion in both permanent and non-permanent seats and increased participation of developing countries, so as to make it more representative, legitimate, and, therefore, more efficient.

Developing countries need to be fully included and represented in major decision-making bodies. This is our best chance to work together to give global responses to global challenges.

Thank you.

I. Session 2: “Counter-terrorism: New and Emerging Threats/ Global Skill Mapping and Talent Pool/ Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)”

Minister Jaishankar,
Dear colleagues,

Brazil is fully committed to the principles of international law and recognizes the central role played by the United Nations on issues of peace and security, including the cooperation on tackling terrorist threats.

We strongly condemn all acts of terrorism, regardless of their motives or perpetrators. We also believe that any act of terrorism is a crime, with no justification whatsoever.

Brazil also attaches great importance to the adoption of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. In its absence, the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy remains the most thorough guidance on the matter. It emanates from the most representative body of the United Nations, its General Assembly, and thus encompasses a wide range of views and needs.

Dear colleagues,

The Brazilian Government currently maintains databases with a wide range of information which allows a certain degree of prediction on emerging skills gaps in our labor market.

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment, these databases are able to effectively meet the needs of the country in relation to mapping the skills of the workforce and estimating changes that may come as the result of the advent of new technologies, which progressively and continuously transform the economy.

Nonetheless, our Ministry of Labor is open to receive the support of specialized international organizations with a view to enhancing its mapping capabilities. We believe we should avoid duplicating efforts with other mappings carried out by other international organizations, such as the ILO, for instance.

Mr. Chairman,

Climate change, environmental protection and sustainable development are top priorities of the new Brazilian government.

Preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing the risk of disasters are therefore key and inseparable parts of the efforts aimed at promoting the safety and well-being of our population.

In this spirit, we have renewed our commitment to achieving the objectives set within the scope of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the agreements signed within the framework of UNFCCC.

We set out to articulate all levels and branches of government, through comprehensive public policies, supported by evidence and the best science available, in an effort to make these commitments a reality.

Science and technology play, in fact, a central role in providing evidence to guide policies and decisions in the field of disaster prevention and relief. Indeed, there is a growing demand for multidisciplinary scientific research aimed at managing and reducing the risk of disaster.

In terms of international cooperation, we believe G20 countries have a lot to share with each other and with the broader international community. It is essential to increase the levels of engagement of G20 member countries in the fulfillment of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Prevention and Reduction. We also need to boost the work carried out by the United Nations Office on Disaster Risk Reduction.

With low-cost and easy-to-implement actions, Brazil managed to develop a set of best practices nationwide in the field of disaster prevention and relief. This has enabled the implementation of successful projects by state and municipalities of all levels of development and budget capacity. We are more than ready to share our experience.

Thank you very much.