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Globalization
(25 November 2024) The 2024 G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 18-19 November 2024 was hosted by the Brazilian G20 presidency. The G20 consists of 19 countries, the African Union and the EU. The G20 countries together account for more than 80 % of the world’s GDP, 75 % of global trade and two thirds of the world’s population. The G20 Summit represents the conclusion of the work carried out by the country holding the group’s rotating presidency, with a leaders’ declaration adopted at the end of the summit. In 2023, the G20 decided to grant permanent member status to the African Union. The meeting - an intergovernmental forum for international economic cooperation between the world’s leading economies - was overshadowed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which entered its 1 000th day, the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and the election to a second term of President Trump, whose ‘America First’ approach to foreign policy includes threats to impose tariffs on imports. The G20 leaders adopted a declaration addressing pressing global issues, including combating hunger, reforming international institutions, and climate change. Brazil took over the annual G20 presidency from India on 1 December 2023. The presidency provided an opportunity to show Brazil as a promoter of the Global South to tackle global challenges. Under the theme ‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet’, the Brazilian government established three G20 priorities: The fight against hunger, poverty and inequality; The three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental); The reform of global governance. The G20 leaders committed to a series of actions and goals in a 85 paragraph-long leaders’ declaration. The poor, to be placed at the centre of the international agenda. was symbolised by the initiatives for a two per cent tax on the world’s billionaires for climate action and poverty relief. Leaders agreed for the first time to engage cooperatively to ensure that ultra-high-net-worth individuals are effectively taxed. And a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. was created with 148 founding members, among them 82 countries, the African Union, the EU and international organisations to rach 500 million people with cash transfer programmes in low- and lower-middle-income countries by 2030. Michel, President of the European Council, and Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, represented the EU. In his speech, Michel stressed that the world needs a robust and effective multilateral system more than ever. He recalled that trade was a powerful tool to fight poverty and called for reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including the dispute resolution mechanism. Der Leyen stressed, among other things, that the EU fully supports the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and that the EU is committed to making the fight against poverty a priority for ‘domestic policies’. Key leaders from both sides were there regarding talks on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, but, instead, resistance might grow, with French President Macron reiterating that France would not sign the agreement as it stands. Following his bilateral meeting with Argentine President Milei, Macron reported that Milei was not satisfied with the deal either. The G20 summit took place while the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) was being held in Baku, Azerbaijan (from 11 to 22 November 2024). The leaders’ declaration does not go beyond the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. It remains unclear from which sources the scaling-up of climate finance from billions to trillions should come. Transitioning away from fossil fuels, to which all nations agreed last year at COP28 in Dubai, did not find its way into the text. Compared to previous declarations, in particular the G20 Bali leaders’ declaration, the declaration issued on 19 November refers to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the weakest possible terms. The document does not even mention Russia, but highlights the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation and growth. Leaders welcomed all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace. Russian President Putin did not attend the summit, and was represented by Foreign Minister Lavrov. Ukraine’s President, Zelenskyy, was not invited to attend the meeting. On the escalating conflict in the Middle East, G20 leaders expressed their deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon. Leaders called for a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza. However, the declaration does not contain a condemnation of Hamas nor a call for the release of all hostages. Leaders affirmed the Palestinian right to self-determination and reiterated their commitment to the vision of the two-state solution. On 1 December 2024, South Africa, another key state from the Global South and the third BRICS country in a row, takes over the G20 baton with a strong focus on Africa’s development in alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The G20 system would need to become a decision-making body rather than just an advisory one; the G20’s representativeness needs to be further improved; and the G20 organisation needs to be consolidated and professionalised, including having a permanent secretariat. (Source: European Parliamentary Research Service – Headquartes Brussels)
See also: G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders’ Declaration (Source: European Council)
Space
25.11.2024 China today launched two commercial microwave mapping satellites - Siwei Gaojing-2 03 and Siwei Gaojing-2 04 - into space at 7:39 a.m. (23:39GMT, Sunday) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, to enhance capabilities of optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) integrated services. They are owned by China Siwei Surveying and Mapping Technology Co., Ltd and equipped with high-precision radar payloads, providing the world with advanced all-day, all-weather and high-resolution radar images. Meanwhile, debris from the recently launched Long March-7 Y9 carrier rocket fell back to Earth late yesterday night, “with the vast majority of the remnants burning up during the reentry process,” according to the China Manned Space Agency. (Source: Anadolu Agency – Turkey)
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