Atlanta [US], October 30 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta on Friday, warning foreign diplomats that the world faces a series of escalating economic and geopolitical crises that pose severe threats to the global order.

Welcoming foreign ministers and diplomats to Georgia, Rubio framed the gathering as a 'moment of choosing,' not only for the United States, but for the international community as a whole.

Setting the gravity of the talks, Rubio warned that the meeting comes at a pivotal turning point for international stability.

'I hope this will be a productive meeting, as we are in a critical moment. I would call it a moment of choosing, and I would say not just for my country, the United States of America, but frankly, for the world,' Rubio said while addressing the meeting also being attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. 

Elaborating on the nature of the crisis, Rubio stressed that nations are confronting compounding instability that directly impacts international commerce and security.

'We are facing a series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises, many of which pose severe threats, severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order. New disruptions and strains to global energy and food supplies, and food markets, to the global supply chain, to trade, to freedom of navigation itself,' he noted. 

Against this backdrop, Rubio called for unified action among the world's leading economies to safeguard global markets. He insisted that 'the G20 must work together to confront these threats, to strengthen our economic resilience, to safeguard our markets and the economies that they sustain.' 

Addressing the broader policy environment, Rubio pointed to the ongoing initiatives under President Donald Trump's administration.

He noted that 'the challenges we have addressed during the presidency of President Trump are multifaceted and interconnected, and the solutions must be too.' 

Rubio explained that the ministerial gathering serves as an essential foundation for long-term diplomatic objectives.

'Here, we can help set the context for expanded geopolitical stability and the broader economic prosperity agenda that our leaders will tackle,' he said, highlighting the vital responsibility placed on diplomats and political leaders to act on behalf of their respective nations.

'As diplomats, as political leaders, uh, we have a vital role to play,' Rubio told the attendees. 'We are tasked, on behalf of the nations that we serve, to work together with one another to coordinate responses to emerging crises and to protect our shared interests.' 

Furthermore, Rubio urged delegates to convert strategic dialogue into tangible political outcomes. 'By translating our shared interests into practical cooperation and real action,' Rubio emphasised, 'we can reinforce global stability, and more importantly, we can deliver meaningful results for our citizens.'

Highlighting key aspects from his address at the meeting, Rubio wrote in a post on X, 'At today's G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, I made clear that maritime and food security drive economic security. Through our America First agenda, the United States is encouraging partners to protect shipping routes, strengthen food security, and reduce the economic consequences of geopolitical crises.'

https://x.com/SecRubio/status/2116192540957237629?s=20

During the two-day G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Secretary Rubio will convene foreign ministers representing the world's leading economies to advance practical cooperation on key shared economic and security challenges, the State Department noted.

The United States Department of State said that throughout the ministerial, Washington will work closely with G20 partners to address pressing geopolitical crises that continue to trigger global economic shocks.

According to the official release, the discussions will focus heavily on mitigating disruptions to supply chains, addressing threats to freedom of navigation, and ensuring energy and food security.

Underscoring that global security and economic prosperity are 'inextricably linked,' the State Department stated that these high-level deliberations will set the stage for President Donald Trump's upcoming G20 Leaders' Summit and help shape the broader economic agenda to be taken up by world leaders.

'Throughout the ministerial, the United States will work with G20 partners to address geopolitical crises contributing to global economic shocks, including threats to freedom of navigation, energy and food security, and supply chains. Global security and economic prosperity are inextricably linked, and these discussions will set the stage for President Trump's G20 Leaders' Summit and the broader economic agenda that leaders will tackle," the statement reads.

The G20 is an international forum of both developing and developed countries which seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues. The G20 members include the world's major economies, representing 85 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, over 75 per cent of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The G20 comprises 19 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, the US and two regional bodies, namely the European Union and the African Union. The G20 does not have a permanent secretariat or staff. Instead, the G20 Presidency rotates annually among the members. (ANI)