G20 Calls for Ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon Amidst Tensions Over Ukraine, Climate
The G20 summit concluded in Rio de Janeiro with a mixed bag of outcomes, balancing calls for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon with discussions on tackling poverty, climate change, and taxing the ultra-wealthy, Al Jazeera reports.
The two-day meeting, overshadowed by the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin (represented instead by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov due to an ICC arrest warrant), yielded a final declaration reflecting a range of priorities and disagreements.
Ukraine dominated the early discussions following the US authorization for Kyiv to strike Russian territory with US-supplied long-range missiles. The G20 leaders eventually reached a narrow consensus, welcoming “all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace” while condemning the “threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition.”
A key focus of the summit, spearheaded by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was the fight against poverty and hunger. Lula launched a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, garnering the support of 81 countries, including 18 of the 19 G20 nations. Argentina, under President Javier Milei, was the sole exception, also dissenting from parts of the final declaration related to the UN’s 2030 sustainable development agenda, which Milei has criticized as “socialist.”
The G20 leaders also issued calls for comprehensive ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon. The declaration expressed “deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza, aligning with a US-backed UN resolution advocating a permanent halt to hostilities in exchange for the release of all captives held by Hamas. Regarding Lebanon, the leaders called for a ceasefire to allow the safe return of citizens on both sides of the Blue Line.
While Lula emphasized the urgent need to address climate change in his opening speech, the final declaration lacked a concrete breakthrough. Leaders acknowledged the need to “substantially scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources,” but failed to specify who would provide these funds. They did, however, agree to set a goal for financial contributions from wealthier nations to poorer ones by the end of COP29 in Azerbaijan.
The summit’s final declaration also endorsed cooperation on taxing “ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” reflecting a growing global focus on addressing wealth inequality.
