While much of the coverage of this year's G20 summit has focussed the massive protests as well as U.S. president Donald Trump, there actually are real issues being discussed in Hamburg.
Development on the African continent and the fight against climate change are at the top of the agenda.
Ira Spitzer has more from Berlin.
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VO#1 From the refugee crisis to global warming, there is no shortage of issues to tackle at this year's G20 summit. It may be be the world's most influential club. The leaders represented in Hamburg account for close to ninety percent of the world's GDP. Germany holds this year's rotating presidency. Claudia Schmucker of the German council on foreign relations says the host country would like to see global climate change discussions move forward.
(SOT, Claudia Schmucker, German Council on Foreign Relations)
"There are some issues that Angela Merkel really wants to have on the agenda. First of all it's climate change. She is seen as a climate chancellor, so she really wants progress on climate change."
VO#2 Merkel has called the Paris climate agreement of twenty fifteen irreversible, setting up a potential conflict with U.S. president Donald Trump who recently announced he would withdraw from the agreement. Another priority at the summit is a German plan to increase private investment in Africa. One of the reasons for the focus on Africa at this year's G20 meeting is the demographic shifts happening on the continent. Africa's population is expected to double by the year twenty fifty, with half of that population under the age of twenty five. Many details of the G20's Compact with Africa have yet to be worked out, like how to support African institutions. Stephan Exo-Kreischer of the One Campaign says education is an area where the G20 needs to focus its attention.
(SOT, Stephan Exo-Kreischer, ONE Campaign)
"Without education, I don't think we'll actually be able to turn the immense population growth on the African continent in the next twenty to thirty years into actually an opportunity for economic growth.
VO#3 The stakes are huge. Failure to stimulate growth in Africa will almost certainly lead to even more refugees. Climate change threatens the planet. But with internal divisions at the forefront, many wonder whether the G20 is up the challenge. Ira Spitzer, Berlin.
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