Rubio urged G20 countries to focus on economic cooperation at the Atlanta meeting

Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the foreign ministers of the G20 countries on Friday at a formal reception in Atlanta opening the two-day G20 foreign ministers' meeting. According to Anadolu, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was among those present. Rubio said that the economic challenges facing countries are 'complex and interconnected,' and called for working together despite differences in national interests: 'Our interests do not always align, but we must always strive to cooperate where they do.'

Priorities of the US chairmanship

According to Rubio, the Trump administration wants the G20 to focus on its core economic mission and deliver 'tangible results' to its members. He listed the topics of economic discussions under the US chairmanship: trade, fiscal and monetary policy, new technologies, and energy. He also welcomed Poland's participation as a full participant in the process this year, citing Trump's view that the country's economic success and growing global influence are 'exactly what the G20 needs.' Rubio also thanked Atlanta for its hospitality, calling Georgia and the American South a region where America's economic future is being shaped, and expressed hope that the meeting would lay the groundwork for the leaders' summit.

What's next

The Atlanta meeting brings together diplomats from the world's leading economies and, according to the organizers' plan, is meant to define shared policy priorities for long-term economic prosperity. It will be followed by the G20 leaders' summit, scheduled for December 14–15 in Miami, Florida.