G20 foreign ministers advise on conflicts – without Rubio

Geopolitical tensions

G20 foreign ministers advise on conflicts – without Rubio

The first G20 ministers’ meeting under South Africa’s chair takes place without the US Foreign Minister. Will Russia and China try to benefit from the political vacuum?

In the absence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, his colleagues from the group of important business nations (G20) meet today (from 12 p.m. CET) in Johannesburg in South Africa. In addition to Middle East conflict and Ukraine War, the two-day meeting is to talk about topics such as the conversion of global institutions and the adaptation of climate change. Rubio had canceled his participation, among other things, because he saw South Africa’s attitude to allies such as Israel.

His absence leaves a strategic vacuum that should mainly use Russia and China. Foreign Minister Sergei Lawrow has confirmed his participation from Russia, while China is expected to be foreign minister Wang Yi. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is represented a few days before the Bundestag election by Katja Keul, Minister of State in the Federal Foreign Office.

The G20 also includes France, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India. In addition, the European Union and the African Union have been members since 2023. The group now stands for around 80 percent of the world’s population and more than 85 percent of global economic strength.

Most recently, the major international conflicts such as the Ukraine War and the Gaza conflict determined the agenda of the G20 meetings. After Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022, they offered one of the last forums in which rankhoe representatives of the United States and Russia met. In Johannesburg, only a diplomat of the US message should now take part.

Rubio had canceled the trip, among other things, because he did not agree to South Africa’s land reform policy and his attitude towards US allies such as Israel. He accused the G20 format of being deteriorated into a haven of anti-Americanism. A few days ago he had met in Saudi Arabia of Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Rubio on bilateral discussions, in which the focus was on an end to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

In Johannesburg the geopolitical location is high on the agenda. In the past, many member countries outside the West had made it clear that they considered other topics to be priority. A reform of the international financial architecture should also be discussed. Development and emerging countries are calling for a fairer design of global financial structures, especially with a view to loans, debts and access to investment capital.

In addition, South Africa wants to initiate stronger international cooperation in mining, especially with a focus on critical raw materials that are essential for the energy transition. Lowered worldwide taxation and dealing with climate change are also recurring topics.

The G20 was founded with the aim of improving the economic policy coordination of the economic powers. In recent years, this role has become the background through geopolitical conflicts and blockages. But South Africa wants to use its G20 presidency to put economic and structural questions back to the fore.

Russia and China have been positioning themselves as a partner for the global south for years: China focuses on trade, raw materials and infrastructure, while Russia focuses primarily on military cooperation and arms exports, but also the expansion of the energy sector. In Africa in particular, Moscow and Beijing have greatly expanded their economic and diplomatic presence and present themselves as an alternative to the western countries.

The Europeans face a challenge. You will try to assert your position as an important partner of the threshold and developing countries- especially through initiatives such as the “Compact with Africa” ​​and the “Just Energy Transition Partnership”, which was launched under the German G20 presidency, the investments in climate protection , Should promote the economy and energy transition.