On November 18, the 2024 G20 Summit officially opened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the theme “Building a Fair World and a Sustainable Planet.” Hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the summit brought together leaders from 21 G20 members, 19 invited countries, and 15 major international organizations - the largest gathering in its history.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, invited by President Lula da Silva, led Vietnam’s delegation to the summit.
The summit commenced with the launch of the Global Alliance Against Poverty and a discussion session on combating global poverty. President Lula emphasized: “Eliminating poverty is not only a matter of social justice but also a core condition for building a prosperous society and a peaceful world.”
Vietnam was announced as one of the founding members of the Alliance, reflecting its active contributions to the global fight against poverty.
Leaders at the session underscored the importance of inclusive development and financial support for low-income countries to implement poverty reduction initiatives. They also emphasized leveraging opportunities in digitalization, green transformation, and intelligent systems for sustainable growth.
The discussions highlighted the need to address global inequalities in gender, ethnicity, and marginalized communities, including indigenous groups and women. Leaders agreed that global challenges require multilateral solutions and reforms to international institutions.
In his address, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for higher political resolve, greater resources, and stronger actions to deliver practical and effective programs against poverty.
“Poverty eradication is not just a matter of humanity but also a fundamental pillar for ensuring global peace, security, and stability,” he stated.
He cited Vietnam’s transformative journey as an example of success. From a war-torn, impoverished nation under prolonged sanctions, Vietnam has achieved remarkable progress over four decades of reform (Doi Moi). The country met the United Nations Millennium Development Goals a decade ahead of schedule, reducing poverty rates from over 58% in the early 1990s to just 1.9% in 2024. Vietnam is now among the world’s leading agricultural exporters, particularly in rice.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Vietnam’s goal to eliminate all temporary and dilapidated housing by 2025, five years ahead of its target.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed three strategic priorities for global poverty reduction:
1. Peace, Stability, and Cooperation: These are prerequisites for inclusive development. The G20 should lead in ensuring peace and stability while avoiding the politicization of science, technology, and development issues, particularly in trade, agriculture, and food security.
2. Resilient Global Agro-Food Systems: Strengthening climate-adaptive and sustainable agricultural systems is key. He urged the G20 to enhance technology transfer, technical assistance, and concessional financing to support green agricultural transitions and secure food supply chains for low-income countries.
3. Investing in People: Education and social welfare must be central to building harmonious, inclusive, and sustainable societies. Human capital should be prioritized as both the driver and beneficiary of development, with practical policies ensuring no one is left behind.
Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh quoted President Ho Chi Minh: “Solidarity is an invincible strength.” He reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to multilateralism and international solidarity, pledging active contributions to building a poverty-free, sustainable world.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh participated in a discussion session on global governance reform. Brazil, as G20 Chair, introduced an Action Call for Global Governance Reform, which Vietnam strongly supports as a pioneering developing country.
The 2024 G20 Summit will continue on November 19, with sessions focused on sustainable development and energy transition. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to deliver another significant speech during these discussions.
Thu Hang
Vietnamnet.vn
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