Brazil’s G20 presidency kicks off in Rio with foreign ministers meeting

By DIANE JEANTET and ELEONORE HUGHES
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Foreign ministers of the Group of 20 nations are gathering in Rio de Janeiro to discuss poverty, climate change and heightened global tensions as Brazil takes on the annual presidency of the bloc. The ministers and other representatives of the 20 leading rich and developing nations planned to spend two days setting a roadmap for work to accomplish ahead of a Nov. 18-19 summit in Rio. One of Brazil’s key proposals, set by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is a reform of global governance institutions such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and multilateral banks, where he wants to push for stronger representation of developing nations.