With minimal consensus on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Group of Twenty Leading Economic Powers (G20) in Rio de Janeiro narrowly managed to reach a joint summit declaration. Just like last year at the summit in India, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is no longer explicitly condemned by a majority of countries. Russia – itself a member of the G20 – is not even mentioned in the passage about the war in Ukraine.
There is only a general reference to “human suffering and the negative consequences of war”, for example on food and energy security. Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 is also not mentioned in the document. In the statement, the “Group of 20” is now concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon. There is an urgent need to expand humanitarian aid and strengthen protection of the civilian population – a clear message to Israel. The G20 also reaffirmed the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and an “unwavering commitment” to a two-state solution.
The two conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have the largest divide between states. The G20 includes the major Western democracies such as the US, Germany, the US and Great Britain, as well as authoritarian states such as Russia and China. Host country Brazil, as well as countries such as India and South Africa, find themselves between the two camps.
The war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East are not on the agenda
The host, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, did not even put the two wars on the agenda. And to the chagrin of Germany and other Western countries, he did not invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Lula pursued an agenda that mainly emphasized the issues of the so-called ‘global South’, that is, the emerging countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia. He was able to include important points in the final document: the fight against hunger and global warming, as well as a reform of international organizations.
The G20 countries also want to commit themselves to effective taxation of the super-rich in the future. Without interfering with the tax sovereignty of the states, we will make concerted efforts to effectively tax very wealthy individuals, the statement said. This confirms a minimum consensus of G20 finance ministers from July. Rio participants also reaffirmed the internationally agreed goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. On the issue of climate finance, we look forward to a successful outcome at the World Climate Conference in Baku.
Reform of the UN Security Council as a goal
In the final declaration, the G20 states also declare that they want to work on the reform of the UN Security Council. Major industrialized and emerging countries are calling for better representation of the previously underrepresented regions of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was also launched in Rio. There is neither a lack of knowledge nor a lack of resources, but rather a lack of political will to give people access to food, said the final statement, released on the first day of the summit.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
