G20 leaders’ declaration urges ‘action’ on wars in Ukraine and Middle East, climate change

Statement hopeful about ‘soft landing’ for global economy as its silence on North Korean support for Russia reveals China’s sway

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Global leaders attending the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, pose for a group photo at the end of the first session on November 18, 2024. Photo: AFP

Mark Magnierin Rio de JaneiroandIgor Patrickin Rio de Janeiro

Published: 7:45am, 19 Nov 2024Updated: 8:40am, 19 Nov 2024

The heads of the G20 meeting in Brazil released a leaders’ declaration on Monday that underscored the many problems facing the global community even as it urged action on armed conflicts, climate change and other major issues.

Despite the concerns, the 22-page, 85-point document also struck an optimistic tone on the prospect for a reasonable economic outcome in the near term.

“We live in times of major geopolitical, socioeconomic and climate and environmental challenges and crises [that] require urgent action,” the leaders said a day before the two-day summit’s formal conclusion.

“We observe good prospects of a soft landing of the global economy, although multiple challenges remain and some downside risks have increased amid elevated uncertainty.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping before the start of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

One of the most contentious issues, both at the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation a few days earlier in Peru that many leaders also attended, was how to frame the two wars currently under way in Ukraine and in the Middle East.