NEW DELHI: Nearly all the G20 meetings that have been held under India’s Presidency have had differences on the Russia-Ukraine war in the outcome documents. This includes the two meetings that concluded on Saturday – the G20 Health Ministers meeting in Gandhinagar and the G20 Digital Economy Ministers meeting in Bengaluru. With less than a month left for the G20 Summit, this indicates a bleak possibility of a joint declaration.
"The G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues. We acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy. There were other views and different assessments of the situations and sanctions," read the outcome document and chair summary of the G20 Health Ministers meet that concluded in Gandhinagar on Saturday.
Members who attended the meeting did acknowledge that the war in Ukraine adversely impacted the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue and members reiterated their national positions (as expressed in other fora) including the UNSC and UNGA which in a resolution dated March 2, 2022 as adopted by a majority vote (141 for, 5 against, 35 abstentions, 12 absent) deplored in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demanded its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine.
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"Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity and elevating financial stability risks," read the document.
Similar views were expressed in the Digital Economy ministers meeting that concluded in Bengaluru on Saturday.
In addition, the document also said that it was essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the purposes and principles enshrined in the charter of the UN and adhering to international humanitarian law, including protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts.
"The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address the crises and well as diplomacy and dialogue are vital. Today’s era must not be for war," read the outcome and chair document of the G20 Digital Economy ministers meet in Bengaluru.
With just a few weeks left for the G20 Summit (September 9th and 10th) in Delhi, there is very little chance of there being a consensus on the Ukraine conflict. A Leaders Declaration, like during the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022, is what seems likely for this summit too.
