Though overshadowed by wars and the return of Trump, the summit in Brazil raised debates on revitalising multilateralism
Published Date – 26 November 2024, 11:55 PM
By Akhil Kumar, Anudeep Gujjeti
Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies met last week in Brazil for their annual summit overshadowed by two major wars and the return of Donald Trump as President of the United States. As the world is increasingly becoming interconnected and facing challenges such as climate change, energy volatility, hunger and poverty, and growing economic and social inequality, a multilateral forum like G20 aims to address them as they affect every border, continent and ocean.
The G20 was formed in 1999 against the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s that hit East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular. It aimed to secure global economic stability by involving middle-income countries. Over the years, the grouping agenda has expanded to address a wide range of global issues, reflecting the evolving challenges of the international community. It became a crucial platform where world leaders actively engaged in dialogue and coordinated actions to navigate the complexities of global order.
Non-Traditional Security
Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which states that 733 million people are undernourished in 2024, Brazil President Lula da Silva inaugurated the “Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty” at the G20 summit. At a time when global discourse is dominated by traditional security concerns such as increasing military budgets, protecting national boundaries, strengthening military alliances and building national defence, the formation of alliance brought non-traditional/non-conventional security back into the spotlight.
In 2015, all 193 UN member states adopted the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ which aimed to end poverty and hunger, and achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030. The progress, especially in reducing poverty, inequality and hunger, was severely hampered by systemic and regional factors like Covid-19, supply chain disruptions and conflicts in multiple regions of the world.
In his remarks at the session on ‘Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported Brazil’s initiative of the alliance and reiterated the adverse impacts of conflicts on Global South’s access to “food, fuel and fertilizer.” Interestingly, it was in Brazil during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio 20), 2012, a process was launched to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
However, one area where the summit remained elusive was of climate change. Considering that it happened while the Conference of Parties (COP) 29 negotiations were under way in Baku, Azerbaijan, there were high expectations from the summit over concrete outcomes on climate change but the G20 statement did not directly refer to any move away from fossil fuels. This in turn caused fears and dilemmas among the negotiators at COP29.
The return of Trump could mean a setback to climate change negotiations as he is dismissive of climate change and is a pro-oil and gas supporter, whose campaign slogan had been “drill-baby-drill”. According to experts at COP29, less-developed countries might need about $1 trillion a year assistance to turn green and without US’ financial and technological support these countries will be pushed towards fossil fuels to meet their energy demands.
Claimant over Global South
Moreover, as the idea of the Global South gains traction, India and China, two prominent Asian powers and members of BRICS, continue to jostle for leadership within this emerging bloc. Ahead of the G20 Summit, the two nations reached an agreement to disengage along a contentious Himalayan border, an area that witnessed the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
During the summit, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping articulated their vision for leadership in the Global South. India emphasised that global conflicts have a disproportionate adverse impact on developing nations, and advocated the need for peace and cooperation for their progress. Hinting at greater support for Global South, President Xi outlined China’s commitment through eight key initiatives, including the promotion of a “high-quality” Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy that channels substantial investments into infrastructure projects across the developing world. Additionally, China, in collaboration with Brazil, South Africa and the African Union, announced the launch of the ‘Open Science International Cooperation Initiative.’ This initiative aims to facilitate the transfer of scientific and technological innovations to benefit nations within the Global South.
As a forum for dialogue and cooperation, G20’s success is contingent upon its efforts to strengthen both its legitimacy and its operational efficacy
Many countries within the Global South have expressed growing concerns about Chinese policies, particularly where Chinese loans have burdened developing nations such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Kenya. However, it is undeniable that China’s economic footprint in the Global South, through extensive loans and investments, remains significantly larger than that of India, despite its recent challenges with stalled economic growth.
India seeks to strengthen its relationship with countries in the Global South, particularly in Africa, by addressing human-centric and multidimensional concerns such as food security, energy and health. However, achieving a transformative impact on the challenges faced by developing countries requires a more substantial allocation of financial resources to strengthen these partnerships. While India emphasises equity and inclusivity with reforms in multilateral institutions to represent the interests of the Global South, China, on the other hand, is positioning itself to shape a new global order, where it assumes the role of the dominant player.
Wars Divide G20
The wars raging in Europe and West Asia dominated the discussions at the summit. In their final joint communique, leaders adopted a more neutral stance in addressing the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, reflecting a cautious approach to these complex issues. During the summit, Ukraine launched longer-range US-supplied missiles into Russian territory for the first time, prompting Moscow to revise its nuclear doctrine. This escalation raised concerns among G20 leaders, further intensifying the tension surrounding the conflict. Although some of the European countries wanted a direct reference to Russia over its role in the conflict, the final communique refrained from it, leaving Ukraine’s Western allies disappointed.
Similarly, there wasn’t any direct reference to Israel over its actions against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah in the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. The G20 members, which include strong supporters of Israel like the US and Argentina, as well as pro-Palestinian nations such as Turkey, reaffirmed the urgent need to enhance humanitarian aid to the region. They also called for a ceasefire and reiterated their support for a two-state solution.
As a forum for dialogue and cooperation, the G20’s success is contingent upon its efforts to continually strengthen both its legitimacy and its operational efficacy, ensuring that it remains a relevant and influential platform for addressing global economic and political challenges. Despite receiving comparatively less media attention than previous iterations, the latest summit raised debates on the necessity of revitalising multilateralism, supporting the Global South, and discussions on issues of non-traditional security aspects such as combating hunger and poverty, addressing climate change, and ensuring energy security.
(Akhil Kumar has a PhD from Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad. Anudeep Gujjeti is Assistant Professor, Centre of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies, REVA University, Young Leader, Pacific Forum, USA)