• Hard-hit by pandemic, Latin giant searches for answers through G20 and praises Saudi leadership

Rashid Hassan

RIYADH: Ambassador Sarquis Jose Buainain Sarquis, the Brazilian undersecretary for foreign trade and economic affairs, praised Saudi Arabia for its ability to adapt the G20 to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Sarquis said: “It is remarkable that we were able to keep the process in motion and it would not have been possible without the sense of responsibility and determination that the Saudi government showed at the helm of the G20.

“The Riyadh Summit will be held during the most challenging crisis we have seen since the Second World War. The summit will give the 20 largest economies of the world a precious opportunity to show that through strengthened cooperation we can better fight the pandemic and pave the way for economic recovery,” he added.

Sarquis said that in 2020, the world faced not only a health crisis but also economic and social crises, in view of the recession and responses of different countries to COVID-19.

“The G20 is considered the major forum for international economic cooperation. Its members represent 90 percent of world gross domestic product and 80 percent of world trade. Therefore, the Riyadh Summit will be an event of utmost importance for participating countries to build consensus, reach understandings on major social and economic challenges, and convey a convergent view of G20 countries towards a sustained recovery,” he said.

“The motto of the Saudi presidency, ‘Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All,’ encompasses many different sectors such as health, education, employment, empowerment of women, trade and investments, infrastructure, digital economy and energy, among others. It also brings a central message about inclusion, which should be present in all these sectors.

“The world has become more unequal with each passing year. The Saudi presidency of the G20 has decided to focus on reducing this inequality, while promoting economic growth and pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals,” he added. “We have agreed on many initiatives oriented towards greater social inclusion, such as the financial inclusion of women and the youth, and access to health services, quality education and to the digital economy for all, with the spirit of leaving no one behind.

“We expect the Riyadh Summit to deliver political commitments and concrete actions, including the sharing of international best practices, which contribute to lowering these gaps. Brazil is participating actively in these debates and bringing a contribution from our national experience,” Sarquis said.

The key agendas for the summit include creating environments in which people can live, work and thrive, safeguarding the planet, and adopting long-term strategies to shape innovation and technological advancement.

Sarquis said: “Empowering people is how the Saudi presidency labeled actions and commitments to promote social welfare, including better health systems, better education, training, jobs and opportunities for all, especially for women and young people.

“Brazil welcomes these priorities, which are particularly relevant in the context of COVID-19, and a stronger recovery. Governmental actions to ensure health and education, to support small and medium enterprises, to maintain and create jobs, and to ensure social protection have never been more relevant,” he added.

“Safeguarding the planet also encompasses many important initiatives related to the environment, climate change and sustainable development,” Sarquis continued. “This includes how we manage agriculture and water usage, how efficiently we produce and use energy, how we adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change, and how we protect the sea and coral reefs.

“Shaping new frontiers is all about the benefits and the challenges that technology is bringing to our society. The new digital economy is changing the way we communicate, do business, buy and sell and pay our bills. But it also raises concerns such as privacy, data protection and cyber security. Many jobs are being lost to machines and robots. Governments must work to regulate this new environment and there is no time to waste,” he added.

On the urgent need for the G20 to take steps to create resolutions to create more employment and growth, Sarquis said that the promotion of strong, equitable, inclusive and sustainable growth was a perennial objective of the G20.

“In 2020 we need to respond with a sense of urgency. In this very particular moment of our history, the whole world will be looking at the G20 Summit expecting to hear a united voice and to see a show of strong leadership from our leaders,” he said.

He added that the G20 was the most appropriate forum to build consensus among the world’s largest economies, to foster growth and to promote a strong and better recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

“Saudi Arabia is doing a fantastic job promoting dialogue, facilitating negotiations and building consensus among G20 leaders. We are confident that, at the Riyadh Summit, the G20 will be able to deliver the leadership and the political guidance the world needs,” Sarquis concluded.