Atlanta braces for G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting amid expected road closures and heightened security

By Diyar Guldogan

ATLANTA, Georgia (AA) - Atlanta is preparing to welcome top diplomats from around the world as the US city hosts the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Friday and Saturday, with road closures and increased security expected across Midtown.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to host the gathering at the Loews Hotel Conference Center.

The meeting will bring together foreign ministers from the world’s leading economies to discuss economic growth, trade, global security and other shared challenges.

The gathering comes as the US holds the G20’s rotating presidency and prepares for the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for mid-December in Miami, Florida.

The Atlanta Department of Transportation will implement road closures in Midtown until noon Sunday. The restrictions will affect portions of Juniper, 11th and 12th streets near the Loews Hotel.

Officials are urging drivers to plan ahead, allow additional travel time and consider alternate routes when traveling through Midtown during the meeting.

The Atlanta Police Department also confirmed that additional officers have been reassigned to support events taking place across the city over the coming days.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the department said it was “prepared to support the many events taking place over the next several days.”

"Due to operational security, specific details regarding officer deployments will not be released. However, we can confirm that additional officers have been reassigned to provide an increased presence and enhanced security across multiple events," it said, warning that several road closures would be in effect around the meeting area.

According to the US Department of State, the meeting will focus on practical cooperation among G20 partners to address economic and security challenges affecting countries around the world.

"As a global hub of diplomacy, connectivity, and commerce, Atlanta offers the perfect backdrop for these discussions," the agency said.

The meeting is another high-profile event in the state of Georgia ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, following a wave of campaign visits across the country that included appearances by President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama.

The Group of Twenty, commonly known as the G20, is an international forum that brings together major advanced and emerging economies to coordinate on global economic issues.

Established in 1999 following financial crises in the late 1990s, the G20 initially focused on international financial stability. Its work has since expanded to include trade, investment, energy, food security and other issues affecting the global economy.

Diyar Güldoğan