00:00The G20 summit in Johannesburg opened in the air of tension and controversy. President Luis
00:13Ignacio Lula da Silva took the occasion to make one of the strongest warnings he had made till
00:18date. The G20 itself was at risk and in the middle of it all is the lack of presence of
00:24the US President Donald Trump who declined to go to the summit or even send top-level
00:30representatives. In the case of Lula the message was clear with the United States
00:34out of the table the coordination of the world is disintegrating. Look at South
00:40Africa what's going on look at South America what's going on you know I'm
00:45not going to we have a G20 meeting in South Africa South Africa shouldn't even
00:49be in the Gs anymore. The boycott did not only leave an empty chair but also shook
00:56the agenda of the whole summit. The host country South Africa was pressured to not
01:02issue the traditional joint declaration by the US officials as Washington would
01:06not be part of drafting it. To Lula it was a direct stab at the multilateral system
01:12he has been striving to re-establish for two years. Lula claimed that the world was
01:17entering a new phase the one where people have to act collectively regarding
01:21climate inequality and debt. He emphasized that it is the G20 that
01:26accounts for 77% of global emissions and a new economic model should emanate out
01:32of this same forum. However without the involvement of the US the climate
01:37financing and development agenda are suspended in the air. The boycott of Trump
01:43also indicates a more dramatic change in the US foreign policy. The abandonment of
01:48multilateral forums. The adoption of unilateral decision-making. The US had
01:54even missed Brazil Copper 30 and Bilem days before. To most of the diplomats in
01:58Johannesburg the message was straightforward. Washington cannot commit any more to
02:04international treaties that it doesn't dictate. Another point that Lula raised was
02:10that inequality between the poor and the rich countries is increasing and becoming
02:15morally wrong and unsustainable economically. Nearly half the global
02:19population is now residing in nation-states that have to pay more money to
02:23debt services than on health or education. In the case of Lula the G20
02:28must address these imbalances directly. However since the US is not at the
02:33negotiating table leaders are afraid that lasting change will be eluded once again.
02:38Now as the summit is continued the question arises. Is it possible to have
02:45the G20 operate and even exist when one of the strongest members decides to
02:49disengage? To Lula it is a matter of international interest. Boycotting is a
02:54political expression to Trump and in the future of multilateral diplomacy it can
02:59become a trailblazer to the rest of the world. Diplomats also caution that in the
03:06absence of the United States the G20 will lose its value as merely another
03:10symbolic gesture and not a policy delivery. A number of leaders
03:14acknowledged in their private discussion that the absence of Washington raises the
03:19question of whether global agreements on climate, on debt or trade would stand
03:24any chance to proceed. To Lula it is all about timing. Brazil has been advocating to
03:32have a more inclusive global system. The one that considers the global south as its
03:36equals. But Trump boycotting this could be seen to counter this momentum and the
03:42major powers may just do away with decisions made by multilateral groups that
03:47they do not like. The emerging economies are also in a lurch as a result of the
03:54boycott. Those nations that are dependent on the US financial aid and commerce are now
03:59contending to walk the fine line between the cries of collaboration by Lula and the
04:04message of Washington that unity is no longer a priority.
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