The annual G20 summit begins today (Nov. 30) in Buenos Aires, where some of the most influential people on the planet will plot the world’s future direction.
Here’s a quick guide to follow their discussions, which will include pressing topics such as trade and climate change.
When is the G20 summit?
It runs from Friday Nov. 30 to Saturday Dec. 1.
What is the G20 summit 2018?
It’s the annual gathering of the top political leaders of G20 countries, and acts as a forum to discuss global problems. At the end of the summit, leaders usually issue a joint declaration with their assessment on the state of the world and a list of commitments to improve it. According to the official G20 agenda, this year there are 167 meetings on topics ranging from technology to gender issues.
The meeting should also shed light on whether key international players are getting along. Are Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping any closer to resolving the US-China trade war? How will leaders interact (paywall) with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman following the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi?
What does G20 stand for?
G20 stands for the Group of 20, which includes the world’s leading economies. Collectively, they account for 85% of global economic activity, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population.
Where is the G20 2018 meeting?
This year, the summit will take place in Buenos Aires. Argentine president Mauricio Macri assumed the one-year G20 presidency in November 2017, and this is the first time that the summit is hosted in South America.
Who are the G20 countries?
The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union; Spain is a permanent invited guest to the group’s meetings. The group was created in 1999; heads of state or government from member countries have been gathering once a year since 2008, when they called an emergency meeting to figure out how to deal with the global financial crisis. These are the 19 member nations:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Germany
- France
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
Each year, the host country is also allowed to invite other countries to attend—Argentina chose Chile and the Netherlands. Delegates from Rwanda, Singapore, Senegal, and Jamaica will also be in Buenos Aires, representing regional groups.
Other guests include Christine Lagarde, from the International Monetary Fund, António Guterres from the United Nations, and the World Bank’s Jim Yong Kim.
You can keep up with the G20 summit 2018 live, here.