The 2014 G-20 Australia summit will be the 9th meeting of the G20 Heads of Govt which will be held in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, on November 15-16 2014
The first meeting of the G20 Leaders took place in Washington, D.C.,
on November 14-15, 2008, where the Leaders agreed to an action plan to
stabilize the global economy and prevent future crises. As a result the
premier forum acquired its current name and significance.
Until now seven G20 Leaders' Summits took place:
Finance ministers and central bank governors started to hold annual
meetings after the inaugural meeting on December 15-16, 1999, in Berlin.
What is G20?
- The "Group of Twenty" represents two-thirds of the world's population, 85% of global GDP and over 75% of global trade.
- It began in 1999 as an annual meeting for finance ministers and
central bank governors following the Asian financial crisis, before
evolving to also include a summit for countries' leaders in 2008, after
the global financial crisis.
- G20 meetings are aimed at deepening economic co-operation and strengthening the global economy.
- It comprises 19 countries and the European Union(EU)
- At each meeting, the host country invites non-member guest
countries to attend. For 2014, Australia has invited Spain, Mauritania,
Myanmar, Senegal, New Zealand and Singapore
World leaders begin descending for the G20 summit
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto arrives with his wife Angelica Rivera at Brisbane Airport
South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrives at Brisbane Airport to attend the G20 Summit
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe steps off his plane upon his arrival at the G20 Terminal in Brisbane
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is welcomed by Queensland's Premier Campbell Newman (right) and Attorney-General George Brandis (centre)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Brisbane Airport to attend the G20 Leader's Summit on Friday Nov 14,2014
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first Indian leader to visit Australia in 28 years
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz arrives in Brisbane
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff arrives on Thursday night
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived at Brisbane airport on Friday Nov 14,2014
Barack Obama arrived in Brisbane
US President Barack Obama Speaks at University of Queensland
U.S.
President Barack Obama held a crowd at a Brisbane university in solemn
silence - and, at other points, in stitches - in a landmark speech where
he issued a stark warning to Russia over the destruction of Malaysia
Airlines Flight MH17 and pleaded for the world to act on climate change.
In
a speech where he joked about drinking the popular Queensland beer
XXXX, dubbed the G20 host city 'Brisvegas' and said he wanted to give
Australian humour 'a burl', the second term president told a crowd of
young Australians and political bigwigs that the United States, 'as an
ally and friend', shares Australia's grief over the destroyed Malaysian
Airlines flight.
In
a pot shot at Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration, Mr
Obama said the United States was 'leading in opposing Russia's
aggression, which is a threat to the world - which we saw in the
appalling shoot down of MH17'.
Thirty-eight
Australians were killed in the incident earlier this year, and tensions
have ratcheted up between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Russian
President Vladimir Putin after the incident, particularly after the
prime minister threatened to 'shirtfront' the Russian leader over the
issue at this weekend's G20 meeting.
Leaders meet at the first plenary session at the G20 summit in Brisbane on Saturday Nov 15,2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip was
marred by a series of diplomatic snubs and frostiness from Western
leaders, sparking an early exit for the Russian leader who flew out on
Nov 1,2014 Sunday afternoon, cutting his intended stay short.
He
also departed Australia shortly before President Barack Obama and
European leaders opened their talks on Ukraine, where Russia is backing
separatist rebels in the east of the country after annexing Ukraine's
Crimea Peninsula in March 2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin explained he left early because he wanted
to be rested before returning to work. He began the half-hour news
conference by praising his host, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, for
providing a ‘nice, welcoming and good working atmosphere.’
‘On Monday I must go to work. I hope to
have four or five hours to sleep,’ Putin said shortly before leaving
Brisbane. ‘I told this to Tony and he was very understanding so I didn't
give it a second thought.’
Arriving in
Brisbane on Nov 14,2014 Friday evening, Putin's plane was snubbed at the airport
by major political figures, as he was greeted by the Governor of
Queensland, Paul de Jersey and Assistant Defence Minister Stuart
Roberts.
Less
than five minutes later Attorney-General George Brandis and Queensland
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney rushed to greet German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Queensland Premier
Campbell Newman and his wife met Chinese President Xi Jinping's aircraft
as it landed.
Tony Abbott was cordial when he greeted the Russian Prime Minister at the
beginning of Saturday's formalities, but some wondered about a
two-fingered hand gesture Putin made during the encounter
The U.S., Australia and Japan issued a
statement condemning Russia for its actions in Ukraine, and Canadian
Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted to an offer of a handshake from
Putin by responding, ‘I guess I'll shake your hand, but I have only one
thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine.’
Putin hosted a 'tense' meeting with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron
Activists created 'coffins' during the anti-Putin rally by placing
national flags of the MH17 victims over the bodies of protesters,
demanding that Putin join in the effort to bring closure to the victim's
families
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