During the two-day summit, starting from Saturday, many contentious issues such as Russia’s war on Ukraine, fossil fuel phase-out, debt restructuring and food security will be discussed, which will make it difficult to issue a final declaration on Sunday.
India hopes for the success of the summit, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to show his country’s growing diplomatic influence and facilitate dialogue on contentious issues among the countries of the group.
The United States is also seeking to strengthen its relations with India to counter the growing influence of China, while New Delhi is trying to establish a leading role in the international arena, despite their differences over Russia, as India did not join the countries that imposed sanctions on Moscow after the Ukrainian war, in addition to the differences over Issues of respect for human rights.
Despite the divisions and disagreements, the G20 summit remains the most prominent gathering of world dignitaries ever hosted by India, with the confirmation of US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and others.
The power of global growth
The US president takes center stage at the G-20 summit in the absence of his counterparts Xi and Putin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will lead the Chinese delegation.
The visit of the 80-year-old US president comes at a crucial moment in the game of alliances against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, at a time when China is increasingly challenging US hegemony.
Biden intends to use the summit chaired by Modi to prove that the bloc remains the main forum for global economic cooperation, despite its divisions.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during a press conference on the sidelines of the summit in India that China faces “various economic problems,” but it also has “a certain margin of maneuver to deal with.”
“We are aware of the risks to global growth,” she added, stressing that “the biggest negative impact comes from Russia’s war against Ukraine,” but added that despite this, she was “surprised by the strength of global growth and the resilience shown by the global economy.”
siege
The G20 appears divided over the Russia-Ukraine war, with many developing countries more interested in grain prices than Moscow’s diplomatic denunciations.
During the ministerial meetings leading up to the summit, Modi’s efforts failed to push G20 leaders to bridge their divisions to address crucial global issues, including global debt restructuring and rising commodity price shocks following the Ukraine war.
In this regard, European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that “it is shameful that Russia, after withdrawing from the grain export initiative in the Black Sea, is attacking Ukrainian ports.”
On Thursday, Modi reiterated his desire to expand the bloc “to include the African Union as a permanent member”.
“I am pleased to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, and I am proud that the European Union reacted positively to support this candidacy,” Michel said, before adding, “Let’s wait for the decision. But one thing is clear: the EU supports Africa’s membership in the G20.”
The Indian prime minister also called on G20 leaders to help developing countries financially and technically to combat climate change.
Closing statement
The issuance of a closing statement of the summit is one of the matters shrouded in many doubts, as the Western countries want a strong condemnation of the Russian war in Ukraine as a condition for agreeing to the Delhi Declaration, while India suggested that besides condemning the suffering caused by the war, it also reflects the view of Moscow and Beijing that this summit Not a place for geopolitical issues.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who went to New Delhi before Biden’s arrival on Friday, said Washington was ready to work with India on drafting the summit’s final statement, but that would be a challenge.
“I understand that crafting such a statement is a challenge, but I know the negotiators are discussing it, working very hard to get it done, and we are certainly willing to work with India to try to craft a statement that successfully addresses that concern,” Yellen told reporters in a briefing.
She added that the most important thing that could be done to support global economic growth is to push Russia to end its brutal war in Ukraine.
The International Monetary Fund expects lower economic growth for most G20 countries this year than in 2022.
The Financial Times reported Thursday that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to directly and publicly criticize Russia for its war with Ukraine and use his influence to help end the war.
There is also some disagreement over cooperation on climate change. The group is divided over commitments to phase out fossil fuel use, increase renewable energy targets and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
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