G20 Summit Joint Communique decoded: Why consensus among members matters

With two leaders choosing to skip the 2023 G20 Summit in India, what challenges will the member nations face in reaching a consensus?

The Group of 20 or G20 forum comprises the world's largest economies and is known to find consensus among its member nations during its annual summits. At the conclusion of these summits, the member nations draft and issue a joint declaration. However, the G20 Summit in India on September 9-10, 2023, presents a unique challenge as negotiators and Sherpas, senior members of the staff of the heads of state and government, are already facing the challenge of issuing a Joint Communique. Here is everything you need to know about the issue.

 

What is a Joint Communique?

At the end of the G20 Summit, a formal statement is issued that encapsulates the consensus and agreements reached among the participating countries. This document is formally known as the Joint Communique or Leaders' Declaration.

 

This outcome document serves as a declaration that is debated and, after reaching a consensus, signed at the end of the summit.

 

It represents the collective views of the member nations and encompasses their commitments to a wide range of global issues. These issues typically include economic, financial, developmental, and occasionally geopolitical matters.

 

None of the ministerial meetings that precede the G20 leaders' summit has produced a joint communiqué, which prior to the war was a staple of such meetings. With Russian President Vladimir Putin absent at the 2022 summit in Indonesia, leaders issued a joint declaration deploring the "aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine." In August 2023, Putin said he would again skip the summit.

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Why is it important?

The Joint Communique holds immense significance as the summit's aim is not accomplished without this. The signing of the Joint Communique ensures the following:

 

Global economic stability: The G20 countries collectively represent a substantial portion of the world's economy, together making up around 85 per cent of the global economic output. The Communique addresses global economic challenges, fosters stability, and facilitates economic cooperation among these major economies.

 

Policy coordination: The document allows G20 member nations to align their economic policies and strategies. This coordination is vital to prevent conflicts or inconsistencies that could adversely affect the global economy.
 

Promotion of multilateralism: The G20 promotes multilateralism by demonstrating that major economies can work together to address shared challenges. The Communique reinforces the belief in diplomacy and consensus-building on the international stage.

 

Global development: The Communique often addresses issues related to sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and inclusive growth. The signing of the document ensures the commitment of G20 nations to global development goals.

 

Geopolitical implications: In recent years, the G20 Communique has also addressed geopolitical issues, such as conflicts and security concerns, most recently the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It serves as a platform for dialogue and potential resolutions on these matters.

 

Consensus crucial to G20

Since its inception in 1999 and its elevation to a leader's level summit in 2008, the G20 has consistently managed to bridge differences and release joint declarations at the conclusion of each annually held summit. Even during moments of tension, such as the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, G20 leaders found common ground and issued a joint declaration that notably did not mention the Crimean conflict, according to a report by the Hindu.

Also Read: Day 1 G20 Summit 2023: Schedule, meetings, key events, and other highlights

 

The Bali Paragraphs

The current challenge revolves around the "Bali Paragraphs," which have been included in India's G20 documents. These paragraphs address the war in Ukraine and are composed of three distinct parts. Firstly, they reference the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions deploring Russia's actions in Ukraine, which are considered unmodifiable as they originate from the UN. Secondly, the statement that "most members" strongly condemned the war in Ukraine is drawn from International Monetary Fund (IMF) conventions, where "most" implies 62.5 per cent or 12 of the 20 G20 members. Thirdly, the use of Prime Minister Modi's phrase, "This era is not of war," is universal and does not pertain to any specific country or conflict.

 

However, Russia and China have raised objections to the language concerning Ukraine despite having signed similar language in last year's Bali G20 document. Russia argues that the Bali language is outdated as it does not acknowledge increased US and European military support to Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against Russia. China, on the other hand, contends that the G20, primarily an economic forum, should not delve into "geopolitical issues," a departure from the Bali statement.

 

Prospects for a Joint Communique

With the G20 Summit drawing nearer, negotiators face the challenge of crafting a Joint Communique. The Sherpa track, responsible for the final document, began negotiations on August 1, seeking to address differences on various issues, including the Ukraine conflict. However, given the evolving nature of the Ukraine situation and its inherent political complexity, officials are cautious about finalising a document that could become outdated quickly. Consequently, a "placeholder" reference to "geopolitical issues" is included in the G20 Leaders Declaration document while other sections are being finalised.

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Senior negotiators representing member nations of the bloc engaged in extensive discussions on Monday, aiming to reach a consensus and finalise the draft leaders' declaration for the upcoming summit.
 

During the three-day Sherpa meeting, held at the ITC Grand Bharat hotel in Haryana's Nuh district and chaired by India's G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpas focused primarily on key agenda items. These included establishing a universally acceptable governance framework for digital public infrastructure, devising strategies to promote women-led development, addressing climate financing, and enhancing the effectiveness of multilateral development banks (MDBs). However, the achievement of consensus faced challenges due to reservations expressed by China regarding various aspects of these agenda items.

 

Leaders absent from the 2023 G20 summit

Notably, both heads of state, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, will not be attending the 2023 G20 Summit. Instead, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent their respective nations.
 

President Putin was also absent from the 2022 G20 Summit held in Bali, Indonesia. At the time, the leaders present issued a joint declaration deploring the "aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine," according to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent publisher in the US.

 

With divisions between nations seemingly deepening, finding consensus at the 2023 G20 Summit and drafting a Joint Communique will be the biggest challenge.