IRIA News

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The G20 Leaders met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18-19, 2024, to address global challenges under the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”. Leaders of the world’s 20 major economies called for an international pact to combat hunger, more aid for war-torn Gaza, and an end to hostilities in the Middle East and Ukraine.

As the meeting began, experts were skeptical about substantial outcomes amid growing uncertainty in the global geopolitical landscape due to the transition of power to the incoming U.S. administration under President-elect Donald Trump as well as heightened global tensions over conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

The joint declaration of the summit focused on economic resilience, social inclusion, sustainable development, and reforming global governance institutions. The declaration received backing from most group members but lacked complete consensus. It advocated for a future global tax on billionaires and reforms to eventually expand the United Nations Security Council beyond its current five permanent members.

Key highlights of the Joint Declaration

• Global challenges and economic stability: The G20 reaffirms its commitment to sustainable growth amidst geopolitical tensions, climate crises, and inequality. Leaders pledged to support the SDGs, strengthen fiscal policies, and reduce disparities.
• Conflict and humanitarian concerns: The declaration condemned the violence, underscored compliance with international law and supported solutions like a two-state agreement for Israel-Palestine. It emphasized ceasefires and humanitarian assistance in conflict zones, including Gaza and Ukraine.
• Social inclusion: Initiatives include launching the Global Alliance Against Hunger, emphasizing women’s empowerment, gender equality, and financial inclusion. Health, education, and disaster risk reduction were prioritized, alongside access to clean water and sanitation
• Climate and sustainability: Leaders stressed achieving net-zero emissions and scaling up renewable energy. Initiatives include ending plastic pollution, halting deforestation, and adopting a global biodiversity framework.
• Technological transformation: The G20 highlighted AI’s potential and risks, advocating responsible innovation, bridging digital divides, and ensuring human-centric AI applications.
• Global governance reform: Leaders called for United Nations reforms, including a more representative Security Council and enhanced roles for developing nations in global financial systems.
• Africa’s inclusion: The African Union was welcomed as a full G20 member, signaling stronger support for African development.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Lebanon

The summit addressed the escalating humanitarian crises in Gaza and Lebanon following Hamas’ attack on Israel and subsequent military responses. The G20 declaration underscored the dire need for humanitarian assistance and emphasized the protection of civilians while affirming support for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

The host of the G20 Summit and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addressed the issue during his speech and urged the world leaders to swiftly seek a substantial solution to put an end to the atrocities in Gaza.

Lula stated that two-thirds of Palestinian territory has been devastated by Israeli bombings that have persisted for over a year. Alongside the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict poses a challenge for consensus on its mention in the G20 leaders’ final declaration.

Several other leaders shared the sentiments. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan repeated his call for an immediate and permanent cease-fire amid the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as he addressed the G-20 Leaders.

U.S. President Joe Biden took the opposite approach and reiterated his support for Israel, stating, “Hamas is solely to blame for the war,” while advocating for increased international pressure on the militant group to accept a ceasefire.

The stark contrast of opinion on the matter resulted in a broad overall approach towards the matter in the joint declaration, which was criticism. Analysts pointed to this as indicative of the complexities surrounding the G20’s ability to address politically sensitive conflicts.

Russia’s absence and support for Ukraine

The war in Ukraine remained a critical topic, with the G20 reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty while calling for peace. The absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, represented instead by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, underscored the ongoing geopolitical divide.

Recently, Biden’s announcement to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of longer-range U.S. missiles marked a significant shift, enabling Ukraine to strike deeper within Russian territory.

Despite the U.S. officials advocating for the “strongest possible” language on the Ukraine issue as stated by the deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, the declaration avoided directly blaming Russia for the conflict, drawing mixed reactions from Western diplomats.

Finer acknowledges that finding a consensus on global conflicts is elusive given the diversity of the G20. In addition to mostly like-minded countries of the G7, the G20 also includes Russia, China, and nations of the Global South.

Tackling global hunger and boosting global development

One of the summit’s key achievements was the launch of a global alliance against hunger and poverty, spearheaded by President Lula. With 82 nations and major organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation backing the initiative, it represented a bold step toward addressing global hunger, which affected over 733 million people in 2023, according to U.N. data.

Boas vindas ao Xi Jinping, presidente da China, na Cúpula do G20 no Brasil. 🇧🇷 🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/6oqQEltvvi

— Lula (@LulaOficial) November 18, 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined measures to boost global development at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative and a joint “Open Science International Cooperation Initiative” with Brazil, South Africa, and the African Union to benefit the Global South.

Xi affirmed, “China supports the G20 in carrying out practical cooperation for the benefit of the Global South,” and projected imports from developing nations to exceed $8 trillion by 2030.

Taxing billionaires

Brazil’s unique proposal to impose a 2% tax on billionaire incomes emerged as one of the most controversial issues at the summit. Targeting approximately 3,000 individuals globally, the proposal seeks to address wealth inequality and fund social programs. Despite opposition from Argentina, the United States, and Germany, the proposal made it into the final declaration.

Spain was among the first few countries in the G20 summit to back the proposal and called on the world’s wealthiest nations to “be brave” and intensify efforts to secure a global minimum tax on the planet’s 3,000 billionaires, emphasizing that recent elections indicate citizens are demanding a “redistribution of wealth.”

The proposal aims to generate an estimated $250 billion annually. The tax funds would be used to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and global warming. France, Germany, and South Africa have expressed their backing, arguing the funds are essential for supporting climate-vulnerable nations and fostering green investment.

U.N. Security Council Reforms

Leaders pledged to advocate for transformative reform of the United Nations Security Council, a long-standing demand by the developing nations. The joint declaration called for a more representative and inclusive council, particularly advocating for greater representation from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

While the document reiterated the need for reform, it left unanswered critical questions about the structure and membership of an expanded council. The U.S.’s support for African permanent seats and small island nations marked progress, but divisions among major blocs like the Group of Four and the Uniting for Consensus group remain unresolved.

Bilateral meetings on the sidelines

The gathering of world leaders and representatives in Brazil offered a valuable opportunity for holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, fostering discussions and collaborations beyond the main agenda.

Xi Jinping meets with Australian and British Prime Ministers: President Xi Jinping held meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese separately at the sidelines of the summit. Trade flows and stronger economic ties remained in focus during both meetings.

Modi’s bilateral discussions: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained busy throughout his stay in Brazil as he held discussions with several leaders, including Italy, Indonesia, Norway, Portugal, Egypt, and South Korea on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties. He also met with IMF Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath and EU President Ursula von der Leyen.

Erdogan-Lula meeting:  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The discussion, held at the Copacabana Fortress, centered on bilateral relations between Turkey and Brazil, along with regional and global issues, according to a statement from the Turkish Communications Directorate. President Erdogan emphasized the significance of high-level dialogue in strengthening ties between the two nations.

China-Russia Foreign Ministers: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and emphasized China’s commitment to strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, enhancing global governance reforms, and promoting development and revitalization for both nations. He proposed joint commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War to uphold international justice and peace. Lavrov praised the unprecedented strength of Russia-China ties, rooted in equality and mutual benefit, and expressed support for China’s SCO leadership. The ministers also discussed multilateral cooperation in forums like G20 and APEC and exchanged views on Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula.

Biden and Trudeau miss traditional group photo

President Joe Biden remained absent from the traditional leaders’ photo at the final Group of 20 summit of his presidency on Monday, a mishap U.S. officials attributed to timing. A senior Biden administration official cited “logistical issues” for the missed photo, explaining it occurred earlier than planned.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also skipped the group photo. Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived after photographers had already taken the official picture, as other leaders chatted post-photo. This left Chinese President Xi Jinping prominently positioned at the center, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov more obscured in the back row.