G20 summit: Why are world leaders meeting?
November 15, 2022
Leaders from all over the world are meeting up in Bali, in Indonesia, for the G20 summit on 15 November. The main aim of the meeting is for leaders to talk about how to help countries recover after the coronavirus pandemic.
However, tensions over the war in Ukraine could make things difÀcult.
What is the G20?
The Group of Twenty (G20) is a club of countries who meet up to discuss plans for the world economy - which is the making and selling of things.
It’s made up of 19 of the world’s largest economies plus a representative from the European Union. Meetings are held every year and last for two days.
The location the G20 summit is held in, changes each year, and whichever country it takes place in, the leader of that country will be in charge of the meeting that year.
The Àrst meeting, or summit, took place in US capital Washington DC in November 2008. The idea was originally suggested by former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin.
The UK last hosted a summit in 2009. India will host the next G20 meeting in 2023.
A smaller meeting called the G7 summit also takes place with seven of the world’s richest countries.
Which countries are in the G20?
The G20 represents more than 85% of all the money in the world and includes:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US.
Other countries can be invited to take part in summits and members aren’t necessarily the richest countries in the world. For example, Spain is always invited as a guest.
Members don’t always agree on things as they try to look after the interests of their own countries.
Why isn’t every country invited?
Many people believe if there are too many countries in a group like this, it becomes more difÀcult to make decisions.
What are they going to talk about?
Leaders at the summit get together to talk about important money and economic issues, climate change, sustainable energy, and taxing big companies.
As the host of 2022’s meeting, Indonesia wants to focus on world health measures and economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic. It also wants to promote sustainable energy.
It makes sense for countries to talk to each other and link up their plans because their economies are so connected.
The problem is that each country wants the best for their own people, so sometimes it’s difÀcult for the leaders to agree on everything.
Also the war in Ukraine might make agreeing on things harder between some countries.
World leaders can also meet up with other world leaders for one-to-one chats.
This year US president Joe Biden met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to talk about the situation with Taiwan.