The leaders of the world’s largest economies have referred SA’s proposed working methods on how to manage current geopolitical issues to G20 Sherpas, leaders and foreign affairs ministers, underscoring the fault lines in the current geopolitical climate.
The G20 working groups will deal with technical issues only, according to a chairperson’s summary of the two-day G20 foreign ministers’ meetings held over the past week. The recommendations of the working groups will be presented at the G20 leaders’ summit in November.
Geopolitical issues featured prominently among discussions at the foreign ministers’ meetings. Despite widespread support for SA’s presidency, which runs until November 2025, tensions ran high among the leaders even before the event got under way.
The absence of US top diplomat Marco Rubio from the meeting, signalling the US administration’s general animosity to global multilateral institutions and SA, coupled with the cancelled traditional photo-op with foreign ministers were among incidents that reflected tensions among the leaders.
US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent will also skip next week’s G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Cape Town.
Department of international relations & cooperation (Dirco) director-general Zane Dangor confirmed on Friday in a media briefing that the traditional group picture was not taken. He however downplayed any tensions, citing time constraints as the reason for abandoning the group photo.
Dirco minister Ronald Lamola said the US absence did not constitute a boycott.
“I have repeatedly answered this question, that they have not boycotted the SA G20. What has happened is that Mr Rubio, who is my counterpart from the US, has stated that he will not attend, and you are aware of the reasons that he has stated, but they have still delegated somebody at a particular level to attend.”
The foreign ministers’ meetings “recognised the widening geopolitical divisions which have contributed to fostering a climate of distrust, thus threatening to unravel progress we have made to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, climate change, pandemics, nuclear proliferation and armed conflict,” the chairperson’s summary reads.
As the EU, we see that a lot of partners are turning to us because we are the reliable and predictable partner.
— Kaja Kallas, EU's top diplomat
The meetings also “affirmed that all parties in conflicts must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Guided by these principles, there was agreement to support all efforts towards a just peace in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan the DRC and other major conflicts around the globe.”
In a briefing with reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, top diplomat EU Kaja Kallas noted that the Trump administration’s actions towards Russia amid its war with Ukraine and the actions towards developing countries had sparked renewed interest in Europe.
“As the EU, we see that a lot of partners are turning to us because we are the reliable and predictable partner,” she said. “And so that has value in these current turbulent times.
“For us right now, it’s more important to focus on what the Europeans do, not so much what the Americans say,” she added. “Because, of course, today we go to sleep here and then we wake up to some new statements.”
France’s foreign affairs minister Jean-Noël Barrot affirmed SA’s G20 ambitions and the international rules-based order amid the tensions.
“I came here to plead for the reform of the security council, for at least two seats of a permanent member for Africa with all associated privileges.
“That is why I pleaded for the reform of the financial architecture in order for no country in the world to have to choose between the fight against poverty and the fight against the consequences of climate change,” Barrot told reporters.
“I think it’s also an opportunity for Europe to strengthen ties with other parts of the world — Africa, Latin America and Asia. To all the countries that believe we are better off if we respond to any claim that says, ‘me first,’ we are saying we are stronger together because most of the real problems of this planet can only be solved by co-operation,” Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, said on the sidelines of the meetings.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.