After Johannesburg, future of G20 comity

In a world of disruptions, India and other middle powers must take the lead to protect the sanctity of global institutions

- TS Tirumurti

The G20 Summit in Johannesburg took place on 22-23 November under the shadow of huge global geopolitical churning and a potential collapse of multilateral decision-making.

For one, there was a threat of the summit becoming a nonevent due to the boycott of the US and its attempt to discredit South Africa by accusing the host country that suffered apartheid at the hands of the white Afrikaners till 1994, of committing “white genocide” against the Afrikaners! Further, the South African presidency wanted the first “African” G20 summit to focus on development issues of Africa as well Global South, especially debt sustainability, finance for just energy transitions, disaster resilience and use of critical minerals for African growth. The US rejected almost all its priorities and even called South Africa’s G20 theme of “solidarity, equality, and sustainability” as “anti-Americanism”.

The presidents of the US, China and Russia were no-shows. The Argentinian and the Mexican leaders also did not show up.

Moreover, the Johannesburg Summit was the culmination of a cycle of Global South presidencies, including Indonesia, India, Brazil and South Africa. Lack of inclusivity has always been a shortcoming of G20, and this is what India bridged by inducting the African Union into G20 as well as holding the Voice of the Global South Summit for the first time during its presidency. This gathered steam, and many Global South issues were reflected in G20 summit texts in Brazil and now, in South Africa. However, the renewed marginalisation of the voice of small developing States has been one of the most debilitating developments in the Trump 2.0 era — a collective abdication of responsibility by the West.