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By Isabella Harper | Staff Writer with Agencies
Johannesburg, South Africa — The G20 summit, the first ever held on African soil, opened under a shadow of geopolitical tension, with leaders warning that the bloc’s ability to address global crises is being undermined by rising competition and fractures among major powers. The absence of the United States, boycotting the summit over policy disagreements, further complicated discussions on trade, climate, and conflict resolution.
French President Emmanuel Macron signaled the stakes early, cautioning that “the G20 may be coming to the end of a cycle” as countries struggle to find common ground on pressing global challenges. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed the sentiment, highlighting the need to restore the forum’s constructive role amid mounting global instability. Chinese Premier Li Qiang criticized “unilateralism and protectionism” as threatening global solidarity, emphasizing the challenges facing multilateral cooperation.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, hosting the summit, sought to underscore the continued importance of the G20, describing it as “key for international cooperation” and stressing that complex crises can only be resolved through collaboration and partnership. The bloc, representing 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world population, convened despite high-profile absences, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The summit produced a declaration covering climate action, energy, debt sustainability, a critical minerals pact, and calls for a “just” peace in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. However, geopolitical tensions were apparent, as Argentina’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno objected to the framing of the Israel-Palestine issue, reflecting divisions even within the Western bloc.
The absent US president had earlier set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to accept his 28-point peace plan with Russia, a proposal widely criticized for favoring Moscow by requiring Kyiv to cede territory and limit its military capabilities. European leaders, including Macron, Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, convened urgent discussions on the sidelines to explore adjustments to the plan that could gain broader NATO and EU support. A European diplomatic source confirmed efforts to make the proposal “more able to be applied” while ensuring it aligns with previous dialogue with Kyiv.
The summit also highlighted the challenge of maintaining cohesion among major powers. China sent Premier Li to represent President Xi, while Russia was represented by Kremlin official Maxim Oreshkin, as Putin remains wanted by the International Criminal Court. Despite these absences, Ramaphosa insisted the G20’s relevance endures, while emphasizing that South Africa would require a higher-ranking US official for the ceremonial handover, not merely a charge d’affaires.
As the summit concluded, the looming handover to the US for the 2026 G20 in Florida, scheduled at one of Trump’s golf clubs, underscored the growing political polarization within the forum. Analysts say the Johannesburg summit revealed both the potential and fragility of global coordination, with urgent issues from Ukraine to climate change testing the limits of international diplomacy.
The message from Johannesburg was clear: the G20 remains central to addressing global crises, but rising unilateralism, absent powers, and strategic disputes threaten its effectiveness at a moment when cooperation is needed more than ever.