The G20 yesterday welcomed the African Union (AU) as a member at their annual summit, but their wording on the contentious issue of Russia’s war in Ukraine was limited to a call to avoid seizing territory by force or the use of nuclear weapons.
There had been serious doubt that an agreement could be adopted because of disagreements among members, most centrally on differences about the war.
The G20 final statement, released a day before the summit formally closes, was less sharply worded over the war than one issued during last year’s meeting in Bali.
Photo: AFP
It said that members reiterated their national positions resolutions adopted at the UN, and said that “all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety.”
“In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible,” it said.
There was widespread support for adding the AU to the G20, making it the second regional bloc to become a permanent member after the EU and adding momentum to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive to give a greater voice to the Global South.
Modi shook hands with the AU chairman, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, and embraced him warmly before inviting him to sit at the table.
The continent was thrust into the spotlight as well by the earthquake in Morocco, which happened while most of the delegates gathered in New Delhi were asleep. Modi offered help and support in his opening remarks.
“On behalf of all of us I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the people affected by the earthquake that struck Morocco a short time ago. We pray that all the injured people get well soon. The entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time and we are ready to provide them all possible assistance,” he said.
He told leaders they must find “concrete solutions” to the widespread challenges that he said stemmed from the “ups and downs in the global economy, the north and the south divide, the chasm between the east and the west,” and other issues like terrorism, cybersecurity, health and water security.
Modi addressed the delegates from behind a nameplate that listed his country not as India, but as “Bharat,” an ancient Sanskrit name championed by his Hindu nationalist supporters that his government has been pushing at the G20.
With much of the world’s focus on Russia’s war in Ukraine, India wants to direct more attention to addressing the needs of the developing world at the summit — although it is impossible to decouple many issues, such as food and energy security, from the European conflict.
“Friends, after COVID-19, the world is facing problems of trust deficit,” Modi said. “The war has further deepened this trust deficit. If we can beat COVID, we can also triumph over the trust deficit caused by the war,” he said, although he avoided mentioning the names of any countries involved.
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