LUDOVIC MARIN/REUTERS
-Dr. Abdul Ruff 7/7/2017
Amid clashes between police and protesters, the top advanced nations are known as Group of 20, or simply ‘G-20′ summit is getting underway on 7-8 July in the German port city of Hamburg with terrorism, global trade and climate change among the major issues on the agenda. From Paris Climate Accord to North Korean Nuclear Threat, US-Russian ties to Indo-China strain, this G20 summit will witness the global superpowers in their worst, trying to make their best. Germany’s G20 Presidency with three main focuses: Ensuring stability; improving viability for the future and Accepting responsibility.
The city of Hamburg has boosted its police with reinforcements from around the country and has 20,000police officers on hand to patrol Hamburg’s streets, skies, and waterways. The meeting follows skirmishes between police and protesters elsewhere in Germany’s second-biggest city. Police said that at least 76 officers were hurt, one of whom had to be taken to a hospital with an eye injury after a firework exploded in front of him. On Friday morning, dozens of protesters attempted to block cars from accessing the summit, being held at the trade fairgrounds in downtown Hamburg, but they were quickly thwarted by police. Further away in the city’s Altona district, police said people set several parked cars alight and attacked a police station, though the situation quickly calmed down.
The G-20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, France, Britain, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Also attending the summit are the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Guinea, Senegal, Singapore and Vietnam.
The G20 is the principal forum for international cooperation among the 20 leading industrialized nations and emerging economies in the fields of finance and economics. The G20 countries are together home to almost two-thirds of the world’s population, as well as generating more than four-fifths of global GDP, and accounting for three-quarters of world trade.
The host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, says she hopes to find “compromises and answers” on a range of issues at the two-day meeting of leading industrial and developing nations. The G20 finance ministers will be focusing on achieving progress on the stricter regulation of financial markets, especially in the field of shadow banking.
In the run-up to the G20 summit, numerous line minister meetings were held, to explore individual G20 issues in greater depth. Between January and May 2017, ministers responsible for finance, foreign affairs, labor affairs, health, agriculture and digital policy meeting. As was the case during the G7 Presidency, Angela Merkel met with representatives of civil society between March and June 2017; several dialogues took place, including events for the business community (Business20), non-governmental organizations (Civil20), trade unions (Labour20), the science and research community (Science20), think tanks (Think20), women (Women20) and youth (Youth20). The civil society organizations themselves are responsible for these meeting as well as for recommendations for The Presidency, which will pick up on relevant G20 issues.
The G20 Summit, being hosted this year on July 7 and July 8 in Germany, which will see the coming together of 20 of the World’s biggest economies to discuss, debate and resolve the various issue of global and continental importance. Many of the G20 nations have developed differences ranging from environmental issues to current tensions or war-like situations, and are expected to use this platform to at least find a resolution acceptable to all.
While main issues to focus, given the global political scenario, can be broadly divided into two general categories, primarily as Environmental and Political, here we will look at these in a bit detailed fashion. While the G20 Summit in its definition aims to strengthen the resilience of the global financial system and proper regulation of all financial markets, it also organizes bilateral talks among the members to discuss and if needed resolve differences, at the disposal of the two nations involved. The first meeting was hosted by Germany as well after the formation of the group in 1999.
Among the nations which are expected to directly take part in this metaphorical intervention of President Trump are British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While May will reportedly express Britain’s full commitment towards the Paris agreement and in her one-on-one talks with him will stress how the accord should not be renegotiated, Chancellor Merkel who said that the US’s withdrawal from the agreement was ‘extraordinarily regrettable’ stated that her sentiments will remain similar to what it was during her last meet with Trump.
The decision to exit the European Union is irreversible now, and it has been accepted by all, citizens of Britain and the European Union alike. Given that this decision to exit the Union by Britain, popularly called BREXIT, will have a noticeable impact on the economic set-up and future of both Britain and the Union, G20, which is primarily an economic platform might resolve a few issues which they may encounter. While it is true that the primary focus might not be the BREXIT phenomenon, but ignoring the economic decisions might not be possible for either of the parties here.
Top Issues likely to dominate Geopolitics at Hamburg would be as follows:
1. Stability of the global economy
Germany is happy to assume the G20 Presidency as of 1 December, and to host the G20 summit in July, declared Chancellor Angela Merkel in a video podcast on the German G20 Presidency. She cited the stability of the global economy as the “top issue.” some issues “related to development” will be given a very high profile, in particular, fighting pandemics.
2. Ensuring stable and resilient national economies
The first pillar involves strengthening stable environments for the global economy and the financial system, but also promoting dynamic economic growth. Structural reforms are the lynchpin here. Germany’s G20 Presidency will continue cooperation on international economic and fiscal issues, employment, and trade and investment. The aim is to strengthen free and fair trade around the globe. The German government will also be working for sustainable global supply chains.
3. Fit for the future
Germany not only aims to ensure the stability of the global economy but also, and this is the second pillar, to make it more fit for the future. One primary concern is to make progress on realizing the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
It is every bit as important to discuss viable energy and climate strategies for the future. And the growing importance of digitalization for the global economy will play a prominent part in the discussions of the G20. To be fit for the future will also mean improving health care. The worldwide fight against antimicrobial resistance is part of this, as are efforts to put in place the mechanisms to prevent the outbreak of pandemics. And empowering women in the economy, in particular improving the quality of women’s jobs, is on the agenda. Angela Merkel will be working to give women in developing countries easier access to information and communication technologies.
4. Accepting responsibility – especially for Africa
Germany also intends to strengthen the G20 as a community of responsibility – and that is the third pillar. A priority concern is to achieve sustainable economic progress in Africa. German Presidency aims to take concrete steps to improve people’s living conditions in the long term and to put in place a stable environment for investment. And it is intended to promote infrastructure development on the African continent. In June a separate conference entitled “Partnership with Africa” will be held in Berlin. The G20 also aims to accept responsibility in other fields. Migration and refugee movements, the fight against terrorism, money laundering and corruption will also be addressed during Germany’s G20 Presidency.
5. The beef over Syria, North Korea, and climate
The issues which we can expect the nations to touch upon in this meet are the US pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, Britain’s drift from the European Union, Syria, North Korea nuclear tensions and although off the table, but possible mentions of the rising tension between India and China.
The long-standing issue of Syria and its future, threatened by, on the one hand, the Assad regime and its alleged atrocities on the people and the rebels on the other, and worsened by the presence of the Islamic State terrorists. While primarily it has been speculated and confirmed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that US President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will seek to find common ground in Syria, the most important decision both countries may arrive could be regarding establishing no-fly zones and on the ground ceasefire norms.
The G20 and the world as a whole looked at the decision of US President Donald Trump with an expression of predictable horror when he declared that the USA would no longer be part of the Paris Climate agreement. While his decision was censured by citizens of the US and other nations alike, this G20 platform will be reportedly used by a couple of countries to show President Trump that in this issue, the USA is isolated from the rest and as Greenpeace Director Jennifer Morgan would say,’ The only game in town.’
Indian Hindutva agenda of the anti-beef issue would not even be mentioned in the summit although such grave problems that are detrimental to normalcy and prosperity of a nation need to be debated and such countries are promoting fanaticism as their key ploy as policy should be warned against the serious drama just for majority votes.
With the global political dynamics changing over the period of one year severely and more so in the last few months, perhaps the Summit is well-timed to resolve the differences which have visibly surfaced within several members and non-members of the G20 nations.
No one is sure about the outcomes as the US-led Syria war is in the minds of every leader attending the summit. While there’s little disagreement on fighting terrorism, prospects of finding consensus on climate change and trade look uncertain.
The illegal war in Syria led by the USA and joined by Russia must be stopped, and the remaining Syrians must be saved as the first action priority of G20 and UNSC. Israel and India must be brought to negotiating tables to discuss the burning issue of the reestablishment of Palestine and Kashmir as sovereign nations as they had existed before.
Remaining Palestinians and Kashmiris must be saved. Only Big powers can make the genuine dreams of Palestinians and Kashmiris a reality as quickly as possible.
However, since the veto powers control everything including the UN and G20, no one is yet sure if the communique that would be drafted at G20 would sternly warn the colonialist and imperialist powers destroying peace in the world, destroying climate, destroying poor people in every country, destroying nations and individuals; These should be warned against the crimes they perpetrate against humanity by attacking and killing the native people living in them.
Apart from helping the poor and weak nation in economy and development programs, the G20 should also make suitable recommendations to arrest the climatic change taking place globally that would make many island nations disappear from the face of our earth.
Looking forward to the best possible outcomes from the G20 summit in Germany!