Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The 20th G20 Summit in Johannesburg concluded with member nations adopting a joint declaration calling for stronger multilateral cooperation and more equitable global governance, even as the United States declined to participate.
Leaders from major advanced and emerging economies gathered under heightened global tensions and growing dissatisfaction among developing nations over the concentration of influence within existing international institutions. The summit’s final declaration emphasized the need to reinforce multilateral frameworks, elevate the role of underrepresented countries in global decision-making, and update governance structures to better reflect the shifting balance of global economic power.
Despite the absence of the United States, the world’s largest economy and a founding pillar of the G20 process, delegates moved ahead with negotiations that officials described as unusually unified given the geopolitical climate. Several participants noted that Washington’s boycott added urgency to discussions about reducing reliance on any single power and ensuring that multilateral bodies remain functional even amid great-power discord.
The declaration focused heavily on the priorities of the Global South, including reforms to international financial institutions, increased support for sustainable development, and improved mechanisms for addressing global crises. Leaders expressed concern that the current system is ill-suited to manage pressing cross-border challenges, ranging from climate vulnerabilities to debt distress that disproportionately affect developing economies.
While summit organizers expressed disappointment at the U.S. absence, they also stressed the importance of maintaining continuity within the G20 framework. Diplomats argued that the adoption of the declaration demonstrated that consensus among the remaining members remains possible, and that the group can act independently when necessary.
Whether the United States will engage with the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit remains unclear. Analysts say its decision to stay away risks ceding influence to other powers at a moment when global governance is undergoing significant realignment. For many countries in attendance, the ability to secure a joint declaration without Washington was seen as both a symbolic and practical test of multilateral resilience in an increasingly polarized international landscape.
