Blinken Confirms to Attend G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bali

TheIndonesia.id - The US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Bali, Indonesia, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled on July 6-9, 2022. Confirmation also comes from Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Mélanie Joly.

"Secretary Blinken will first travel to Bali, Indonesia, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and then Bangkok, Thailand, from July 6 to July 11, 2022," US Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ned Price noted in a press statement issued by the US Embassy, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 6, 2022.

At the G20 meeting in Bali, Blinken will reinforce US' commitment to working with international partners to confront global challenges, including food and energy insecurity and the threat of Russia’s continued war against Ukraine, according to the statement.

In addition to attending G20-related engagements, the secretary will hold a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Among other bilateral engagements, Secretary Blinken will also meet with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20.

Apart from visiting Bali, Indonesia, Secretary Blinken will also visit Bangkok, Thailand, to meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. At the meeting in Bangkok, Blinken looks forward to discussing a range of issues, including building on the successes of Thailand’s APEC 2022 agenda during our 2023 APEC host year, expanding health and climate cooperation, and addressing the crisis in Myanmar.

He will also meet with alumni of U.S. exchange programs, tour the Thai Department of Disease Control’s Emergency Operations Center, and visit a shelter and welfare center for victims of human trafficking. The U.S-Thai Alliance is essential for advancing the president’s Indo-Pacific Strategy for a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient region, the spokesman for the US Department of Foreign Affairs noted in a statement.

Canadian Foreign Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Mélanie Joly will visit Bali, Indonesia, on July 6-9, 2022, to participate in the G20 Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting. The Canadian Embassy in Jakarta noted in a statement issued here on Wednesday that at the meeting, Minister Joly will reaffirm Canada’s staunch support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Canadian FM will engage with counterparts to reiterate the principle of sovereign equality for all states and the importance of upholding international rules and institutions, according to the statement.

"This G20 meeting is happening at a critical juncture in history and will not be business as usual. With Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Canada must show up to call out Russia on its lies and with our like-minded partners, provide solutions to Russia’s weaponization of food and to address other challenges, such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic," Joly said, as quoted by the Embassy and reported by Antara.

The Canadian government views that in the coming years, food security will be one of the world's most acute issues, affecting millions of lives while fuelling further instability. "Demonstrating the importance of cooperation, Canada and its like-minded partners will also work with members of the G20 in pursuit of solutions to this crisis," the Canadian Embassy noted in its statement.

In support of Indonesia’s G20 agenda, Minister Joly will underscore Canada’s steadfast commitment to working together to defend the rules-based international order, build resilient and inclusive economies, recover from the pandemic, advance women’s equality, and economic empowerment, and protect the environment for future generations.

The G20 foreign ministers will be convening at a time when the world is struggling with unprecedented challenges, such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the growing food security crisis.

During deliberations over the global impact of Russia’s war of choice in Ukraine, the G20 members will also discuss the resulting consequences on inflation, economic security, international energy markets, and peace and security.

Collectively, G20 members represent around 80 percent of the world’s economic output, two-thirds of the world’s population, and three-quarters of its international trade. The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This year is the first time that Indonesia holds the G20 presidency.