Indonesia, as chair of the G20 2022, is ready to host the 17^e G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali Island, November 15-16, with nearly all but three of the G20 leaders expected to attend, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The summit comes at a difficult time when the world is struggling to recover from the effects of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine following its invasion by Russia in February 2022.

The war in Ukraine has involved many G20 members directly and indirectly, with Ukraine being supported by other G20 members such as the United States, Britain, Germany, Canada, France, Australia, Japan, the European Union and Turkey.

The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and European Union. Spain is a permanent member of the grouping.

Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Indonesia, one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has resolutely maintained an impartial position and called for an immediate end to the conflict.

Despite pressure from several countries to expel Russia from the G20, Indonesia decided that the grouping, under its chairmanship, should unite the members and encourage the countries in conflict to sit at the negotiating table and seek a solution. peaceful.

Therefore, Indonesia has invited all G20 members to participate with several other non-member countries including Ukraine as observers in the upcoming Bali summit. Like Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not attend the summit.

The number of G20 leaders confirmed to attend the Bali summit is very high, according to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Several leaders have not confirmed their attendance due to particular situations in their countries, she told the media on October 31.

Meanwhile, three leaders – Putin, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico – have informed that they will not attend the summit, according to the coordinating minister of investment and maritime affairs and president of the G20 summit. organizing committee, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

He told the media on November 12 that 17 G20 leaders and 3,443 delegates have confirmed their participation in the G20 summit, which is the first ever hosted by Indonesia.

The leaders whose presence has been confirmed are those of Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

Earlier, Minister Marsudi told the press that newly installed G20 leaders such as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had confirmed their attendance at the Bali gathering.

Separately, US President Joseph R. Biden is expected to be in Bali from November 13-16 for the summit, according to a press release issued by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on October 28.

“In Bali, the President will commend President Joko Widodo for the leadership of the G20,” she said in her statement outlining Biden’s travel plans to North Africa and Asia.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud will also attend the summit, Saudi Trade Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi said recently as he led the Saudi delegation to the G20 trade ministers meeting. in Bali.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also confirmed his attendance and intention to hold formal talks with President Widodo on the sidelines of the summit.

It would be the second meeting between the two presidents since President Widodo visited China in July this year, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Friday in Beijing.

Lijian stressed that China supports Indonesia’s G20 presidency, whose theme is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.”

Xi is due to be in Bali from Nov. 14 to 17 and will travel to Bangkok to attend APEC.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will lead his country’s delegation to the Bali summit.

Indonesia, whose term as G20 chair extended from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022, is allowed to invite countries and international organizations as observers to G20 meetings.

The guests this year are Spain; President of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AU-NEPAD); President of ASEAN; the Netherlands; Singapore; the United Arab Emirates; President of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); and President of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Indonesia also invited Asian Development Bank (ADB), Financial Stability Board (FSB), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Islamic Development Bank (IDB) , the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN).

According to media reports, leaders from Singapore, Cambodia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Senegal, Finland, Suriname and Fiji will come to Bali.

Tempo media recently reported that other VVIP guests are expected to be in Bali, including the President of Zambia, President of Angola, President of South Sudan, Prime Minister of Denmark, President of FIFA, the president of the IOC, the president of the Atlantic Council and president of the World Economic Forum.

Most G20 leaders will arrive in Bali on Nov. 14 and depart on Nov. 16, with some flying to Thailand for the APEC summit, to be held in Bangkok on Nov. 18-19.

Related News: Ministry and police turn to facial recognition to secure G20 summit
Related News: PLN seeks to mitigate potential power issues ahead of G20 summit