Even though there were sharp divisions among the influential members—mostly regarding Russia’s conflict in Ukraine—India was able to persuade the diverse group to ratify a final declaration. This was the final day of the G20 summit 2023 that took place in India. We covered day 1 of the G20 Summit 2023 where all the world leaders arrived and discussed various issues. In this post, we’re taking a look at the 2nd day of the summit and what are some of the key takeaways.
Even if there were concessions made on the crisis in the Ukraine and climate change action, the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi managed to defy expectations on Sunday and reach agreement on a single declaration by world leaders.
Surprisingly, the consensus was reached. Sharply divergent perspectives on the conflict threatened to derailed the summit in the weeks prior to it, with Western nations demanding that members condemn Moscow for the invasion and Russia threatening to veto any resolution that did not support its position.
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Global South’s participation in the discussions helped keep Ukraine from overshadowing the G20 agenda. India has effectively brought together G20 participants from the Global South.
‘Different views’ on Ukraine
Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year, the G20 leaders have been sharply divided over the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped the summit entirely to avoid public criticism.
Host India forced participants to agree on a joint statement that softened its earlier denunciation of the war in order to avoid a serious diplomatic scandal. The G20 condemned the use of force to expand one’s territory but avoided naming Russia specifically in their criticism.
The statement from the leaders stated that “there were various viewpoints and assessments of the circumstance.” Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, criticized the assertion and claimed that the G20 had “nothing to be proud of.”
Climate issues
Despite a study from the UN published a day earlier describing the drawdown as “indispensable” to achieving net-zero emissions, leaders were unable to come to an agreement on a phase-out of fossil fuels.
An important round of climate negotiations that will start in November in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates will be overshadowed by the G20 nations’ inability to agree on the phase-out, which accounts for nearly 80% of world emissions.
Leaders must take more forceful, audacious action, according to Madhura Joshi, senior associate at climate research tank E3G.
But for the first time, the G20 endorsed a goal of tripling the amount of renewable energy produced worldwide and made mention of the requirement that emissions must peak before 2025. It also stated that reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% from 2019 levels by 2030 is necessary to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
African Union joins G20
The African Union (AU), the newest member of a group that already accounted for 85% of global GDP, was welcomed by the G20 major economies as the weekend’s events got underway.
The weekend marks the diplomatic maturation of India, according to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also sees his nation’s presidency as a chance to represent the needs of the Global South.
Modi ceremoniously banged a gavel to begin the summit’s formal proceedings by summoning AU President Azali Assoumani to take a seat with other international leaders.
The European Union and 19 other nations made up the G20 before Saturday, with South Africa being the lone member from the continent. The AU currently has six countries with military governments suspended out of its 55 total members. With almost 1.4 billion inhabitants, it has a $3 trillion global GDP.
‘Spice Routes’ and Israeli normalisation
Ambitious plans to establish a modern-day Spice Route connecting Europe, the Middle East, and India were presented by a large alliance, which included the United States and Saudi Arabia.
In order to balance out the extravagant Chinese infrastructure investment, if the project is successful, it would build trains, ports, energy and data networks, and hydrogen pipelines throughout the Middle East, potentially accelerating trade between India and Europe by up to 40%.
The proposals are also promoted as a way of fostering improved ties between Israel and Gulf Arab nations.
India or Bharat?
India has been inundated with rumors that the official use of the nation’s English name will end for days. In his opening remarks to the summit, Modi gave the clearest indication yet of a prospective shift. He did so while standing in front of a country nameplate with the word “Bharat” on it, which has deep religious connotations for the Hindu religion and is used in ancient literature.
According to the nation’s constitution, both India and Bharat are recognized names for the nation.
The more popular name India, which has roots in Western antiquity and was adopted during the British occupation, has been strongly opposed by members of Modi’s Hindu nationalist party.
A successful conclusion to the G20 Summit 2023
President Joe Biden of the United States, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida were among the world leaders who paid a visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial on Sunday.
The majority of the politicians walked barefoot to Gandhi’s cremation location after his 1948 assassination by a Hindu extremist.
Later, Biden departed for Vietnam and missed the summit’s final session. The Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who were in charge of their respective nations’ delegations at the conference, were denied access to him, according to the White House.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin both skipped the summit altogether. Other than that, this happens to be a successful conclusion to the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi.