The School of Regional Studies receives Brazilian professor to debate G20 perspectives and relations with Russia

The School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of the HSE University welcomed the Brazilian professor of Economy, Bruno De Conti, to debate the priorities of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 in an open lecture, held in April 25^th, 2024.

The event named “Brazil’s G20 presidency: priorities and perspectives” was attended by the dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Anastasia Likhacheva, the head of the School of International Regional Studies, Olga Volosyuk, the head of the Political Sector of the Brazilian Embassy in Moscow, Lucas Andrade Aguiar, as well as invited professors, researchers and students from the HSE and other leading Russian universities. 

The dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Anastasia Likhacheva, delivered the opening remarks welcoming professor Bruno de Conti, stressing the interest that Russian specialists have in debating Brazilian economic policy and its main challenges moving towards development. The dean noted that both Russia and Brazil are natural-source rich countries, which contain vital reserves for driving the world economy’s development.

Bruno de Conti is a professor of Economy in the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), where he coordinates the BRICS Network University in Economics and the Confucius Institute. De Conti has a career dedicated to issues relevant to the Global South and emerging economies, particularly its challenges regarding exchange rates and monetary policies.

The event was moderated by visiting professor of the Higher School of Economics, Ana Livia Esteves, who in her opening remarks noted the role of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. In challenging geopolitical times, the G20 has been the only forum capable of gathering the main international players around the same table. The group is currently experiencing a unique moment, when developing countries have an increased role in setting the agenda and will preside over the group for four years in a row.

During his lecture, Bruno de Conti provided compelling data on the growth of emerging economy’s weight within the G20, stressing the need to convert this material relevance into practical agenda-setting. According to the professor at UNICAMP, the Brazilian presidency of the G20 will be focused on issues such as energy transition, reform of multilateral institutions and Multilateral Development Banks, debt relief for low-income countries and the development of modern international payments systems.

Issues proposed by the Brazilian presidency that are likely to advance with concrete initiatives still in 2014 are the global taxation of big fortunes and the establishment of a Global Alliance against hunger. Regarding the Global taxation of big fortunes and capital flows, the professor reported wide consensus among G20 members to establish a 2% tax, that could be used to finance energy transition and social programs. Moreover, the establishment of the Global Alliance against hunger within the G20 has been a priority for the Brazilian president, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, who obtained support of key-countries to launch the initiative in the short-term perspective.

The lecture of Bruno de Conti was followed by a question posed by the Dean Anastasia Likhacheva regarding debt relief for low-income countries and a number of inquiries from the general audience. The representative of the Brazilian Embassy in Moscow, Lucas Andrade Aguiar, praised Bruno de Conti’s exposition, reaffirming that the presidency of the G20 is an absolute priority of Brazilian foreign policy in 2024. Andrade Aguiar also highlighted the need to improve global governance to better reflect the Global South’s real weight of the international community and participation in global GDP growth.