Italy to host G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rome

Rome: Rome will host the Group of 20 Leaders Summit on 30-31 October, the culmination of a series of high-level international talks held during Italy’s presidency of the G20.

Italian premier Mario Draghi said on Wednesday that the heads of the world’s wealthiest nations would meet in Rome to discuss climate change, covid-19 and the post-pandemic global recovery.

The Rome summit is viewed as critically important as it comes just before the United Nations COP26 climate change conference being held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.

The high-level Rome event will take place amid tight security at the Nuvola Congress Centre, in the EUR district, with the press based at the nearby Palazzo dei Congressi.

Media reported on Tuesday that Russian president Vladimir Putin and Japanese premier Fumio Kishida will not be attending, but would follow proceedings by video link.

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will also be absent but will be represented by his foreign minister, according to Reuters.

There is reportedly a question mark over the attendance of Chinese president Xi Jinping and Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

US president Joe Biden has confirmed his presence in Rome, where he will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican ahead of the summit, before travelling for the COP26 talks.

The leaders of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the European Union are also expected to attend in person, according to Reuters.

Along with representatives of some of the main international and regional organisations, the finance ministers of the G20 countries traditionally attend the Leaders’ Summit.