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G20 must focus on development despite geopolitical headwinds
This year’s G20 theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” resonates with a world desperate for recovery from a cascade of challenges from inflation to COVID-19 and climate.
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Center of attention: Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (on screen) speaks during a meeting at the Group of 20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, on July 8. (AFP/Pool/Dita Alangkara)
The Group of 20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) in Bali earlier this month was dramatic to say the least. It coincided with the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Boris Johnson’s announcement of his resignation as British Prime Minister, but neither story had the same impact as the conflict in Ukraine.
The Bali gathering was the first face-to-face meeting between Russian and Western diplomats since the conflict broke out. Naturally, there was no getting away from the hot-button issue of Ukraine. As expected, some Western delegates did not mince words in their criticism of Moscow, which was described as “frenzied” by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
With much of the media spotlight on Ukraine, it is easy to forget that half of the G20 participants are from emerging economies whose voices matter but are often drowned out. For most of them, the Bali meeting is an occasion for direct in-person communication, not grandstanding or confrontation. Rather than apportioning blame, most developing members are more interested in bringing about an early end to hostilities in Ukraine.
The impassioned plea by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi to “end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table” struck a chord with many G20 members that have stayed neutral on the conflict and share Chinese President Xi Jinping’s view that “countries should not come to the point of meeting on the battlefield”.
Unfortunately, geopolitical tensions that threaten to turn more places into battlefields are brewing not just in Europe. Asia has seen attempts at bloc rivalry and even militarization by external players, including calls for a “Global NATO” and the establishment of AUKUS, which jeopardize the global nonproliferation regime. Such disturbing developments raise the specter of conflict similar to the one in Ukraine, which is the last thing Asian countries want.
This makes this year’s G20 meetings especially important as their host represents both Asia and the developing world. It is commendable that Indonesia has invited many developing countries from this region and beyond to make the discussions more balanced and inclusive.
