US absence at G20 Summit raises global concerns

As the two-day G20 foreign ministers’ summit wraps up in Johannesburg today, two leading international experts have expressed concern at the US having pulled out of the SA-hosted gathering.

With the US driving the global economy, University of South Africa professor emeritus of international law Andrè Thomashausen and University of Johannesburg associate professor of political science and international relations David Monyae yesterday said the move by the Trump administration to snub the indaba demonstrated a slide towards unilateralism.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced his nonattendance, a stance also adopted by US Treasury’s Scott Bessent, who said he will not be attending next week’s meeting of G20 finance ministers, citing domestic obligations in Washington.

US Secretary of State Marco didn’t attend G20 finance ministers meeting

South Africa’s G20 presidency, which commenced in December, will see the country host about 130 working group meetings and 23 meetings at ministerial level.

The year-long deliberations will culminate in a G20 leaders’ summit in November.

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SA’s three priorities for the G20 presidency, include:

• Inclusive economic growth; v Industrialisation, employment and reduction of inequality;
• Food security; and
• Artificial intelligence, data governance and innovation for sustainable development.

Thomashausen said the G20 objective was “to discuss and agree on global financial and economic issues”.

“It is not possible to do this without the participation of the US. Like it or not, even China agrees that the market and the US economy continue to determine global financial and trade flows,” said Thomashausen.

G20 not an organ of UN

The G20, he said, was an informal forum of countries which, in 1999, came together to discuss a crisis in the Asian financial markets.

“It is not an organ of the United Nations and has no law- or decision-making powers.

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“Canada and America were the original convenors of the G20 forum.

“If America now feels that it is no longer interested in the G20 forum, that can very well end its usefulness.

“South Africa will be wasting its scarce resources in continuing to host a big international get-together if the US is not an active participant on the same level of authority as all the other participants,” he said.

Importance of US in global affairs

While lauding the role of South Africa in hosting the G20, Monyae agreed with Thomashausen on the importance of the US in global affairs.

“The United States remains the most powerful country. You cannot have the G20 without the G20,” said Monyae.

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“The negative part affecting the G20 is that it takes place at a very critical juncture of global politics, with the advent of a Donald Trump presidency in the US – appearing to be anti-multilateralism.

“His decision to stop funding the World Health Organisation, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the Human Rights Commission of the UN is indicative of disturbing signals for the entire G20.”

With South Africa having reached a significant level to host the G20, Monyae said: “We need to emphasise on areas that have been set for the G20, already covered by fellow Global South countries, like Brazil, India, Indonesia and China – previous chairs of the forum.

Critical moment as first time African country hosts

“This year’s G20 summit comes at a very critical moment, being the first to be hosted by an African country,” added Monyae. He said the G20 foreign ministers’ summit was “critical preparing for the actual November summit of heads of state”.

“It is about preparing the ground and ensuring agreement on the agenda and ironing out of issues before November.

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“The role of foreign ministers is to find a common position on these issues,” he said.