After two years without consensus in the G20, the group’s declaration, which met in Rio de Janeiro under the presidency of Brazil this Monday (18), has been considered by experts as an important victory for Brazilian diplomacy by uniting, in the same document, countries such as the United States (USA), Russia, China, Argentina and Germany.
Furthermore, analysts assess that the consensus of around 85 points in the official statement by the heads of the G20 in a world divided by wars and intense geopolitical disputes can be seen as a victory for multilateralism, which is the principle of cooperation between countries to promote interests common. It is a principle opposite to unilateralism, when the country acts on its own, or bilateralism, when there is an association of only two countries.
Geopolitics expert Ronaldo Carmona, researcher at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri), highlighted that the world today is absolutely divided between two main blocs, one formed by the G7 and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which brings together the powers Western countries and Japan, and on the other side, the countries that have emerged in the world economy in recent decades, in particular, China, Russia and India, with Brics being the main forum for this group.
“Observing this context, this structural problem of the crisis of multilateralism, it is necessary to value the fact that a final declaration has been issued, especially due to this radicalization that we are experiencing now with regard to the problem of the war in Ukraine”, commented the expert , remembering that the United States authorized on Sunday (17) the use of long-range missiles against Russian territory.
Carmona added that the G20 is the only space in which these two poles of power in the international system can still sit at the same table.
“Multilateralism has been in crisis for a long time and, therefore, any multilateral arrangement tends to be ineffective. Therefore, the consensus in a final declaration is a victory for Brazil’s presidency in the G20”, highlighted the researcher.
Argentina
Professor of international relations at the University of Brasília (UnB) Roberto Goulart Menezes highlighted that the declaration was not reopened for changes to the text as Argentina wanted, showing that President Javier Milei preferred to join the group of countries so as not to be isolated.
“If Milei maintained his vetoes on the declaration, he would not only be opposing Brazil, he would be opposing the G20. Why? Because at the leaders’ meeting, you have Biden, Xi Jinping. Milei’s persuasion didn’t just come from Brazil, but from other leaders, who put pressure, saying, look, what’s up? You are here, we are here raising these themes and we are not going to run away from any of them”, he stated, adding that Milei still needed the G20 stage to present himself to the world. “Milei had not yet introduced herself to the world, and she did so now in Brazil.”
The professor also added that Brazil’s focus on social issues, the fight against poverty and hunger in the G20 was an important victory, but the result is yet another message from all countries regarding the need for multilateralism in the world, a principle that will be opposed by the Donald Trump’s government.
“What Brazil achieved was, in the face of Trump’s election and we know that Trump will not attend the G20, to show that countries reinforced the need for multilateralism, to continue working to take collective action in favor of issues such as the climate emergency ”, added Menezes.
Advances
The G20 summit declaration does not have mandatory power, that is, countries have no obligation to comply with what was agreed, and the document serves more as a political and diplomatic position of the group.
Despite this, the journalist, doctor in political science and professor of international relations Bruno Lima Rocha Beaklini assessed that the meeting had concrete results, such as the Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and the G20 cities group, with provision for financing for city infrastructure sustainable.
“Where there is a localized financial instrument, with funds and projects, things will move forward. Where it is in the declaratory field is yet another political-diplomatic dispute in the international system. And Brazil, yes, in the final arrangement, was the big winner”, he analyzed, adding that the declaration will embarrass the new government of Donald Trump.
“This climate emergency agenda will be an embarrassment for the future Trump administration. The most important thing is to embarrass the superpower that is not saying that it will not respect anything regarding the issue”, he considered.
In his first term, Trump left the Paris Agreement, which establishes commitments for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He has reported that he will abandon the 2015 Agreement again.
