The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the International Relations Department (CGRI), proposed to the group of cities Urban-20 (U20) investments in the areas of research and development, green infrastructure for public health and sustainable tourism among the priorities for overcoming the crisis generated by the new coronavirus pandemic.

The Urban-20, the Engagement Group of G20 city leaders, in which Rio de Janeiro participates, launched on June 15th the Special Working Group on Covid-19, aiming to strengthen the role of local governments in the recovery of the post-pandemic world economic crisis. The objective of U20 is to bring urban issues to the G20 agenda, a group that brings together the 20 largest economies in the world.

In a document sent to the U20 presidency, hold this year by the city of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), the Mayor of Rio calls on the G20 countries and their metropolises to come together in support of developing economies facing the effects of the Covid-19 health crisis, requesting international financial and development entities to contribute through the creation of facilitation mechanisms for the acquisition of medical and hospital equipment and other treatment offers against the new coronavirus and other diseases. For the post-Covid-19 economic recovery, Mayor Crivella points out the urgency of making available financial support packages and investments for cities.

The City of Rio also advocates that scientific research on the virus and the design of a vaccine against Covid-19 should be carried out in partnership with research centers in developing countries. Mayor Marcelo Crivella defends that investments in the research and development sectors and in green infrastructure for public health are important not only to overcome the current crisis but also to ensure the general well-being of the population.

As tourism is one of the main drivers forces of Rio and other cities' economy the city could not help but intercede for the sector that was extremely affected by the effects of the new coronavirus. Since the beginning of the declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), in March 2020, about one million jobs in the sector have been lost daily worldwide, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). In Brazil, the sector has already accumulated losses of BRL 87.79 billion (USD 16.13 billion) in relation to the average revenue for the period, according to the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC).

For the City of Rio de Janeiro, international cooperation is one of the essential instruments to combat Covid-19. Through the mobilization of external partners, the municipality has already received donations of personal protective equipment, medicines, and technical support. With the help of the other cities and countries of the G20, this suggestion is intended to boost financing and investment mechanisms to recover from the economic crisis resulting from the negative impact of the virus worldwide.