A virtual meeting of the members of the G20 countries was held on Wednesday, November 22, which reviewed the progress on the decisions taken during the summit in India earlier this year. Participants reiterated their commitment to implement crucial decisions regarding the reforms in the global financial institutions and climate financing among others.
Several leaders from the grouping of world’s largest economies also expressed their condemnation of the Israeli war against Palestinians in Gaza and demanded an immediate end to hostilities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, among others, attended the virtual session chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi expressed concerns about the loss of civilian lives during the war in Gaza and expected that world leaders would try to contain the conflict as soon as possible. “Death of civilians anywhere is condemnable. It is important that humanitarian aid should reach in time and be uninterrupted,” he said.
The Indian government has faced criticism from the activists in the country for trying to stifle voices in support of Palestine. India also abstained during the voting on the UN General Assembly resolution demanding a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
Speaking during the meeting, Putin, who had missed the G20 summit in India, was critical of global hypocrisy when it comes to reacting to military actions or wars. He noted how some of the leaders, who were “shocked” when Russia militarily intervened in Ukraine, were actively supporting the Israeli aggression in Gaza.
“The war and the loss of life can’t but cause shock. But isn’t anyone shocked by the extermination of civilians in Palestine, in Gaza today?” Putin questioned.
Turkish president Erdogan rejected Israeli claims of “self defense” calling its actions in Gaza “open war crimes committed against humanity.”
No politicization of developmental issues
Modi asked the world leaders to take serious steps to implement decisions related to climate financing, reforms in multinational development banks, and for the creation of a framework for ethical and artificial intelligence, AP reported.
Li Qiang criticized the “politicization of development issues” by some countries without taking any names.
“It is necessary to coordinate and cooperate more closely, revitalize multilateralism, continue to strengthen macro policy cooperation, and pay more attention to the concerns of developing countries in the reform of the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund,” Qiang said.
Putin also noted radical transformation in global power dynamics. He said that, “new powerful centers of global economic development are emerging and strengthening. A significant share of global investment, trade and consumer activity is shifting to Asian, African, and Latin American regions, where most of the world’s population lives.”
Putin however warned that the world needs to be careful when the “turbulence in markets is increasing” and “chronic problems are worsening in the international financial sector, in the sphere of energy and food security.”
Putin emphasized that, “the situation in the global economy, and in the world as a whole, requires collective, consensus decisions” which reflect the opinions of all stakeholders.
