Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I join the President of the General Assembly in thanking Ambassador Lyrio for his presence here today. In doing so, I would also commend Brazil’s inclusive approach to its G20 Presidency and its strong emphasis on engaging the broader membership of the United Nations.
The United Nations fully supports the Presidency’s vision of “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet” and the three G20 priorities: (1) social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty; (2) energy transitions and the promotion of sustainable development; and (3) reform of global governance institutions.
Distinguished delegates,
Brazil’s G20 Presidency coincides with one of the most critical passages in world history. As Secretary-General Gutteres has underlined, our world is facing existential challenges, while the global community is more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years. As conflicts rage and geopolitical divisions grow, peace is threatened, human rights are undermined, and sustainable development is stalled.
As a group of the largest economies, the G20 has a special responsibility to lead the response to these complex global shocks and set the world on a path towards sustainable development.
Urgent and accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda is the only way forward. We have to mobilize all our efforts to achieve the SDGs.
Financing lies at the heart of the SDG implementation.
The UN commends the G20’s support for the SDG Stimulus proposed by the Secretary-General. At the same time, the global financial architecture is no longer capable of meeting the needs of the 21st century, nor does it reflect the shifts in the world economy. The UN looks forward to working with the G20 to raise the ambition on IFA and global governance reform.
The UN also welcomes the focus of Brazil in its G20 Presidency on inclusive and progressive tax systems, which is very aligned with discussions here.
Today’s briefing is an occasion to bring together the G20 and UN discussions on these critical issues. We count on the G20’s leadership in raising the ambition for the Pact for the Future and the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, to be held in Spain in 2025, and hope that discussions in the UN on these issues can support the G20’s deliberations.
Dear colleagues,
The UN is also aligned with Brazil’s vision to eradicate hunger and poverty. We applaud President Lula’s leadership in spearheading the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, as well the Joint Taskforce for the Global Mobilization against Climate Change. The UN system has been fully mobilized to support these important initiatives.
The Secretary-General has proposed a Climate Solidarity Pact to the G20, in a common effort to keep the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius alive. The G20 must lead in this area, paving the way for a successful COP 29 this year, and COP 30 in Brazil in 2025.
Mr. President,
Ambassador Lyrio,
Excellencies,
The UN will commemorate its 80th anniversary next year. The upcoming G20 Summit should send a clear signal that the G20 stands united behind a stronger UN at the centre of a revitalized multilateral system.
I wish to end by thanking you, Ambassador Lyrio, once again for your active engagement with the UN. Let me assure you that the UN system stands ready to support the Presidency in making the Rio Summit one that fulfils the vision of “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”.
Thank you.