Established in 1999 following Hurricane Mitch, the objectives of the G13 are to support Guatemala in its efforts to deliver a just and free society, and create sustainable economic growth.
During the UK's presidency, the G13 agenda will focus on two areas. The first will be to understand Guatemala's 2023 General Election process. The second theme will be climate change and biodiversity. Meetings on these topics follow on from the COP27 and COP15 conferences last year.
The British Ambassador to Guatemala, Nick Whittingham, said:
The UK is proud of taking over the presidency of the G13 during the first half of 2023. We aim to play a positive role in addressing many themes that affect Guatemala and its development.
The members of the G13 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU). Its multilateral members comprise the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations System (UNS), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the World Bank.
The Presidency of the G13 rotates every six months. The UK takes over the role from the US.
