Post #2162

🎙️Interview by the Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, D.A. Birichevsky, to Russia Today Question: The #G20 remains one of the key platforms for Russian economic diplomacy. Are the results of the #G20’s work in 2024 positive for Russia? What are the priorities for our work in this forum moving forward? Answer: The past year has been highly productive for the #G20. As a result of Brazil’s presidency, the forum has solidified its position as the leading platform for equal dialogue between the key economies of the Global South and North on global economic issues. The final declaration of the summit in Rio de Janeiro (November 18-19) provided sound assessments of the processes affecting economic growth rates, focusing on overcoming inequality and addressing the challenges faced by developing countries in ensuring their energy and food security. 🇷🇺For Russia, it is important that the agreements reached by the leaders reflect key principles for us, including the use of all available effective technologies (technologically neutral approaches) in the context of low-carbon development and the enhancement of the voice and representation of developing countries in multilateral financial institutions. Among the strongest supporters of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, initiated by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, were 82 countries, 24 international organizations, 9 financial institutions, and more than 30 non-governmental organizations. Russia also contributed its experience and best practices in implementing school meal programs and supporting small farming enterprises. 🇿🇦We are prepared for productive work this year with another BRICS partner, South Africa. From December 9-11, Johannesburg hosted the first #G20 Sherpas meeting under South Africa’s incoming presidency. We supported the priorities for the #G20 in 2025 as outlined by our partners. The focus on building disaster resilience, addressing debt sustainability, ensuring fair energy transitions, and securing critical raw materials will guide our ministries within the #G20’s 15 Sherpa working groups and 8 groups under the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Russia. ✊Russia fully shares South Africa’s desire to enhance the forum’s agenda by focusing on social justice and consolidating the Global Majority’s efforts to promote shared interests. We aim to actively participate in the proposed target groups on inclusive economic growth, food security, and artificial intelligence. On our part, we will continue to work towards aligning approaches to ensure stable growth, restore the proper functioning of agricultural markets, and eliminate unilateral illegitimate barriers in the trade of food and fertilizers. 🏁As the South African presidency concludes the series of rotations of developing countries (previously Indonesia, India, Brazil) and marks the end of the first round of rotational presidencies for all #G20 members, Russia is determined to contribute to the review of the forum’s work, solidifying the achievements of the Global South and laying a strong foundation for the future. #RussianMFA#G20#RussiaSouthAfrica