In Atlanta, Georgia, the site of the recent G-20 Foreign Ministers meeting, there is an explosion of dynamism, prosperity, and creative energy. “This is no accident,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It is the direct result of a series of decisions aimed at giving their businesses, entrepreneurs, and citizens the economic foundations, infrastructure, and regulatory environment needed to unleash the potential of their people.
The economy of the future that Americans are building all across the country can belong to its economic partners in the G20 as well, said Secretary Rubio.
“It is in the economic and national security interests of the United States that we are energy dominant, that we have robust supply chains, that we remove the regulatory hurdles that hamper growth, and that we lead in the advancement of super intelligence and other critical emerging technologies,” declared Secretary Rubio.
It’s also President Donald Trump’s mission that the nations of the G20 focus on core economic policy issues. We want to implement practical solutions that deliver real results, said Secretary Rubio.
One of the main issues addressed was freedom of navigation. Safe passage of vessels in international waters is vital to the livelihood of the world. “We now live in a world where the Iranian regime actively and openly targets commercial vessels for attack. Central Command and the United States have done a phenomenal job of protecting this shipping,” declared Secretary Rubio.
Today, the amount of fuel getting through the Strait of Hormuz is comparable with what was coming out before the conflict; nonetheless, said Secretary Rubio, “we’ve had to defend these ships from drones and missiles almost every single night.” There have also been attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb, and hostile coercion in the South China Sea, the Strait of Taiwan, and elsewhere that puts economies in danger.
One of the most severe consequences to sea lanes being under attack or under coercion is the rise of food security, warned Secretary Rubio. “When energy and fertilizer and agricultural products can’t reach their destinations, it threatens the most vital necessity for each and every one of our nations and for all the nations of the world.”
While all G20 members agreed there’s a problem regarding critical minerals, there’s still work to be done to find agreement on collective solutions.
The economic challenges are complex and interconnected, observed Secretary Rubio. “Because we all face these challenges, we must all work together to address them.”