Bali, Indonesia: World leaders will state at the G20 summit in Bali that today’s era “must not be of war” and will condemn threats to use nuclear weapons, reflecting rising global anxiety around Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A draft communiqué agreed by diplomats, said: “Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy.” The language regarding the war and Moscow’s repeated use of nuclear rhetoric is stronger than western officials forecast, and underscores rising concerns in non-western states about Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion and its widespread effects.
G20 leaders are meeting at the annual two-day Summit in Indonesia, where the Russian invasion of Ukraine was top their agenda.
The annual two-day G20 Summit began on Tuesday where key world leaders gathered to ponder upon contemporary global challenges. A gathering of world’s major economies, the event is attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China’s President Xi Jinping, United States President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak among other heads other than European Union which form the group.
However, President of Rawanda Paul Kagame represented Africa’s interests and appealed the world leaders to address specific challenges that its people face, mostly due to external factors.
He was particularly speaking in a session on “Food and Energy Security” in his capacity as the chairperson of African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) at the ongoing summit in Indonesia on Tuesday, November 15.
Beside, Kagame, AU Chairman and Senegal President along with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has also joined the annual G20 summit in Bali.
During his address, President Kagame also highlighted that the gap between developed and developing countries has widened significantly, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts, and the climate emergency, which means higher borrowing costs and more debt for developing countries.
He also pointed to the rise in food and fertilizer prices which is “particularly alarming,” adding that the contribution of current food systems to greenhouse gas emissions was emphasized during the recently concluded COP27.
“Africa is here for Africa, and our productive relationship with the rest of the world. We have specific challenges, which are made worse by these external factors, and too often our people are left to pay the price,” he said.
“Developed countries hold the key to creating the necessary fiscal space to address these challenges.”
At the G20 summit, President of Rawanda Paul Kagame’s statement received strong backing from China.
While addressing the G20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “China supports African Union to join G20”.
However, at a formal dinner for G20 leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping also publicly exchanged greetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali on Tuesday, the first meeting since the Chinese PLA and the Indian Army’s standoff in April 2020.
Earlier, while speaking at the G20 Summit in Indonesia, Modi said “I have repeatedly said that we have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine.”
Addressing the session on Food and Energy Security, Modi also underlined the global challenges of the Ukraine war, climate change and Covid pandemic and their impact on global supply chains.
Speaking on energy security, he said India’s security on this front is important for global growth as it is the world’s fastest growing economy.
“During India’s G20 presidency, we will work for global consensus on all these issues,” Modi said.
India will host the next G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023.
PM Modi is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with leaders of G20 members and guest countries on the margins of the summit on Wednesday.
-Dr. M Shahid Siddiqui; Follow via Twitter @shahidsiddiqui
