G20: Amb. Mattiolo briefs UN on Italian presidency, “multilateralism is alive and working”

NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1 – “Multilateralism is very much alive, and dialogue, even when it is long and complex, remains the only effective way to address our global challenges. The G20, despite its differences, is indeed able to work together and find a common direction. While its membership is not nearly as diverse as the UN’s, I believe this is encouraging for all the work streams within the United Nations as well. Multilateralism is alive, and can – and must – work”. With these two reflections, the Italian ‘Sherpa’, Ambassador Luigi Mattiolo, assessed the results of the Italian G20 Presidency in a briefing to the General Assembly.

Among the issues addressed in the informal plenary session, Mattiolo recalled some milestones: the Global Health Summit co-hosted with the EU Commission in May, the convergence on the relevance of the 1.5 degrees target to address climate change, the Matera Declaration on food security, financial tools in favor of vulnerable countries, an historic agreement on international taxation, the first G20 conference on women empowerment which took place in August in Santa Margherita Ligure, and a roadmap for sustainable finance. The ambassador defined all these achievements as “step forwards”, and “while some of these may not be the giant leaps some of us may have hoped for, they are all steps in the right direction, which the G20 has taken together”.

Mattiolo observed that as G20 president in charge, Italy sought to balance two fundamental and interconnected aspects of the necessary global response: the reaction for present and urgent needs while strengthening instruments to shape a better future. The baton passes today in the hands of Indonesia for the 2022 presidency, but the Italian Sherpa reassured that, as a member of the ‘Troika’, Italy will play its part to support the new presidency and ensure a productive dialogue on issues that are relevant for everyone: “We will equally maintain health, climate change, and the fight against inequalities at the heart, at the core of our posture within the G20”. (@giorgiodelgallo)