Tanzania president to participate in G20 summit

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan will participate in the G20 summit this year, which is scheduled to take place next week.

The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors of 19 countries, aimed at discussing policies related to global economic stability, sustainable development, and other critical issues, such as climate change, trade, and global health.

The 2024 meeting will take place from November 18 to 19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The group also includes two regional bodies: the European Union and, as of 2023, the African Union.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, on Wednesday November 13, 2024, President Hassan will participate in the gathering of global powerhouses under the theme “Building a just world and sustainable planet,” following an invitation from the host, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

“The participation signifies Tanzania’s increased influence and visibility on the global stage, underscoring President Samia’s diplomatic efforts aimed at empowering youth and women, as well as addressing pressing national and regional challenges, such as energy transition, poverty, hunger, youth unemployment, climate change, and food security, which are also priorities of the 2024 G20 Leaders’ Summit,” the ministry stated.

This will not be the first time a Tanzanian head of state has attended such a high-profile meeting. The late Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete participated in the G8 summits held in 2005 and 2008, respectively.

However, President Hassan is attending for the first time since the group’s expansion from G8 to G20 in 2009.

Tanzania hopes to elevate its profile on the global stage and accelerate progress towards its development goals by securing funding and partnerships for various development projects and social services.

The G20 member countries represent around 85 percent of global GDP, over 75 percent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population.