South Africa's first-ever G20 summit may have ended on a high note for its hosts, but experts are warning that the group's future looks uncertain.
Despite being boycotted by the United States, which did not send any representatives to the summit due to its contentious stance on several key issues, South Africa and other member countries hailed the gathering as a success. A declaration was agreed upon covering a wide range of topics, including global economic growth, climate change, and trade.
However, with the US's absence, concerns are being raised about the G20's ability to effectively address pressing global issues. The group has traditionally been seen as a platform for major economies to come together and agree on policies that promote stability and cooperation.
Richard Weitz, a senior non-resident associate fellow at the NATO Defense College in Washington DC, warned that the US boycott was a "serious blow" to the G20's credibility. "The absence of a major economy like the US raises serious questions about the group's ability to address global challenges," he said.
Thembisa Fakude, director of Africa Asia Dialogues at Johannesburg-based think tank Afrasid, cautioned that the summit had highlighted deep divisions among member states on key issues such as trade and climate change. "The G20 needs to confront these differences and find common ground if it is to have any hope of addressing global problems," she said.
Omar Ashour, professor of strategic studies and international security at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, noted that the summit had shown that some member states were willing to work together on certain issues. "However, this is not enough. The G20 needs to be more effective in promoting cooperation and consensus among its members," he said.
As the world grapples with growing global challenges such as economic instability, climate change, and pandemics, it remains to be seen whether the G20 will be able to overcome its differences and live up to its potential as a platform for international cooperation.
Despite being boycotted by the United States, which did not send any representatives to the summit due to its contentious stance on several key issues, South Africa and other member countries hailed the gathering as a success. A declaration was agreed upon covering a wide range of topics, including global economic growth, climate change, and trade.
However, with the US's absence, concerns are being raised about the G20's ability to effectively address pressing global issues. The group has traditionally been seen as a platform for major economies to come together and agree on policies that promote stability and cooperation.
Richard Weitz, a senior non-resident associate fellow at the NATO Defense College in Washington DC, warned that the US boycott was a "serious blow" to the G20's credibility. "The absence of a major economy like the US raises serious questions about the group's ability to address global challenges," he said.
Thembisa Fakude, director of Africa Asia Dialogues at Johannesburg-based think tank Afrasid, cautioned that the summit had highlighted deep divisions among member states on key issues such as trade and climate change. "The G20 needs to confront these differences and find common ground if it is to have any hope of addressing global problems," she said.
Omar Ashour, professor of strategic studies and international security at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, noted that the summit had shown that some member states were willing to work together on certain issues. "However, this is not enough. The G20 needs to be more effective in promoting cooperation and consensus among its members," he said.
As the world grapples with growing global challenges such as economic instability, climate change, and pandemics, it remains to be seen whether the G20 will be able to overcome its differences and live up to its potential as a platform for international cooperation.
or just another meeting with no outcome ? 
they need to get their act together and agree on something important like climate change or economic growth we can't keep waiting for them to figure things out 
i hope south africa's hosts were prepared for this because if g20 fails to address global issues it'll be a huge letdown 
I'm kinda worried about the future of the G20 summit thingy... I mean, without the US at the table, it's like a big party with nobody invited 
. We need the G20 to come together and tackle these major issues like climate change, trade, and economic stability... otherwise, we'll be stuck in this rut forever 
. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they figure it out soon! 
. Back in my day, we didn't have all these fancy international organizations 
. We just sort of... figured it out ourselves 
.
It's gonna be tough!
. I mean, it's a big deal for them, but at the same time, it's a bit worrying that other countries aren't contributing fully to the discussions 
. The US being absent from the talks is kinda like pulling out a puzzle piece – you need all pieces to fit together right, you know? 
. But honestly, it feels like the G20 needs to find its footing ASAP 
. Can they make it work and start making a real difference for everyone? Fingers crossed 
!
I'm kinda worried about the future of the G20 summit, you know? They're always saying how they wanna tackle global issues together, but now with the US not showing up... it feels like that's just a pipe dream 
. The thing is, even though South Africa and other countries seem happy with the outcome, I think there's still a big elephant in the room – the fact that the US was so vocal about its dissatisfaction 
. Maybe they just need some time to cool off and regroup before getting back on track 
. But honestly, it's hard to be optimistic when there are so many pressing global issues to tackle 
.
. It's all about finding common ground and being willing to listen to each other 
. But can they really put aside their differences and work together on stuff like climate change and trade? That's what I'm not so sure about 
.
. Still, at least they're trying, so fingers crossed it works out in the end 
. It's like they're trying to find their footing on a tightrope 
. Without the US on board, it's gonna be tough to make decisions that affect everyone 
. We need more countries to come together and find common ground 
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed 
!
south africa did an amazing job hosting it! but gotta say, the US boycott is a major bummer 
still, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that the other member states will come together and make some real progress 
. I mean, isn't the point of the G20 supposed to be countries working together on global stuff? If some countries can't agree on basics like trade and climate change, how are they gonna tackle bigger issues like economic instability or pandemics 
? Maybe they should just keep trying to find common ground, but it's hard when you've got big players like the US not participating 
.
, 21% believe it's a small blip 
, while 17% are unsure 
.
2025 G20 summit: what will it mean for global stability? 
Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the G20 can get its act together and make some real progress