G20 Declaration Adoption and US Handover Details

Key Takeaways

• The G20 declaration was adopted without objection by all members except the absent US at the start of the summit in Johannesburg.
• The declaration expresses strong support for South African priorities, including gender empowerment and the need for more renewable energy in developing countries.
• Compromises were made to get the agreement of countries such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, including weaker language on climate change and geopolitical issues.
• The declaration retains support for gender empowerment, despite some countries’ resistance to stronger language.
• The US will not be participating in the handover of the G20 presidency at the closing ceremony, and a low-key handover is likely to take place sometime next week.

Introduction to the G20 Summit
The G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, began on Saturday, November 22, with a surprise move by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He asked fellow G20 leaders to adopt the declaration from the summit at the start of the meeting, rather than at the end of the summit on Sunday. This departure from G20 custom was done without realizing that the cameras were still rolling, capturing the moment when Ramaphosa quoted from Pliny the Elder, saying "Always something new out of Africa," and asked the leaders to adopt the outcome declaration by a show of hands.

The Adoption of the Declaration
The declaration was adopted without objection by all members except the absent US. A source inside the summit confirmed that the declaration had been adopted without objection, and a negotiator from a Western country described it as "a good declaration for South Africa, for the G20, and the world." The sherpas, who do the heavy lifting at such summits, negotiated hard from Sunday until Thursday, and then through the night, to finally agree on a declaration at 8:30 am on Friday. Achieving a declaration, by agreement of all G20 countries except the US, is viewed as a considerable achievement for South Africa and for the G20.

Content of the Declaration
The declaration expresses strong support for South African priorities, though some compromises had to be made to get the agreement of countries such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Most G20 members and guests would have liked stronger language on climate change, but Saudi Arabia and Russia resisted. However, the declaration does include language on the need for more renewable energy in developing countries, which is seen as an important step forward. The declaration also retains support for gender empowerment, though some would have liked it to be stronger. South Africa and its supporters fought to preserve the gender language, and one negotiator noted that it came down to horse-trading about how many references to "gender" versus how many references to "all women" were acceptable in the text.

Geopolitical Issues
The declaration reflects principles like respect for the UN charter and international law, including humanitarian law, and lists hotspots such as the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, the DRC, and Ukraine. However, some countries would have liked stronger language on Ukraine, for instance, but this was not possible due to resistance from Russia and other countries. The declaration’s language on geopolitical issues is seen as a compromise, and one negotiator noted that it is "part of the geopolitical deal." Despite the challenges, the declaration is seen as a positive outcome, and one negotiator described it as "great for the South African Presidency, for the G20, and for the world, when multilateralism is challenged everywhere."

US Absence and Handover
The US will not be participating in the handover of the G20 presidency at the closing ceremony, and a low-key handover is likely to take place sometime next week. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, confirmed that the US will not be sending a representative to the G20, saying "We have marked them absent." This move is seen as a significant development, and it remains to be seen how the US will engage with the G20 in the future.

Conclusion
The G20 declaration adopted in Johannesburg is a significant outcome, despite the challenges and compromises that were necessary to achieve it. The declaration expresses strong support for South African priorities, including gender empowerment and the need for more renewable energy in developing countries. While some countries would have liked stronger language on climate change and geopolitical issues, the declaration is seen as a positive step forward. The US absence from the summit and the handover ceremony is a significant development, and it remains to be seen how the US will engage with the G20 in the future. Overall, the G20 declaration is a testament to the importance of multilateralism and the need for countries to work together to address global challenges.