Johannesburg: The G20 summit commenced in Johannesburg, South Africa, even as several prominent world leaders were absent. US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping were among the leaders who did not attend the summit, which marks a first for the African continent. Additionally, the presidents of Argentina and Mexico were also not present.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the summit's host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, stated that the focus would be on issues such as solidarity, equality, and international sustainability. The agenda includes discussions on alleviating the debt burden on emerging and developing countries, facilitating a just energy transition, ensuring the fair and clean use of rare earth minerals, and promoting equitable burden sharing in climate protection and food security.
Earlier, President Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of "pluralism" in addressing global challenges as he inaugurated the G20 Summit. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged G20 members to "use their influence and voice to end conflicts around the world," highlighting the critical role the group can play in global peace and stability.