G20 priorities may lay elsewhere

Global Business

G20 Priorities may lay elsewhere

G20 leaders have begun arriving in Buenos Aires ahead of this week’s summit.

Argentina hopes leaders will discuss and agree on key issues that affect the world economy.

Food security is one of them. As a major agricultural exporter, Argentina, with its growing population, has a lot riding on this key economic issue.

CGTN’s Joel Richards reports.

Alejandro Pannunzio not only exports blueberries and is president of the Blueberry producers association, but he is also a PhD candidate for his research into water usage.

“You have to consider that 70 percent of fresh water in the world is used for agriculture,” he said. “What you have to consider is that we have to be more efficient using the land and using that water.”

From Entre Rios in Argentina, they export blueberries to North America, Europe and following a recent agreement, now China as well.

Food security is one of three priorities that Argentina wants to discuss at the G20 this year. Infrastructure and the future of work the other two. With climate change playing a key role when it comes to food security, there is uncertainty over what kind of agreement the leaders can reach in Buenos Aires.

G20 priorities may lay elsewhere

So much has changed on the world stage since Argentina was named the G20 host in 2016. Since then, Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency, the U.K. voted for Brexit and Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil, South America’s largest economy.

Some analysts said the priorities proposed by Argentina will struggle to get the attention of world leaders.

“Now this summit is going to take place against the backdrop of a trade war that I think is going to put Argentina in the sidelines in terms of the topics that Argentina would like to discuss,” Juan Negri, an analyst at the Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, said.

Buenos Aires will be center stage for intense days of bilateral meetings, and trade and geopolitical tension, potentially leaving the G20 proposed agenda of priorities in the background.


Hugo Dobson talks about the G20 summit

CGTN’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke to Hugo Dobson, professor from the University of Sheffield and a contributor to the Global Policy Journal about the G20 summit in Argentina and what’s expected to be accomplished during the meetings.