The powerful do not decide | Article by Rafael Vilasanjuan on the G-20 summit

While The ground shook in Marrakech, the leaders of the most powerful countries in the world were in New Delhi. Not everyone was there, from the list of 19 countries plus the European Unionwhich form the G-20, Vladimir Putin got off the hook firstshortly after the Chinese leader Xi Jinping He also announced that he was staying home. Despite this the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modihas done todo so that the summit does not fail. And there the rest have been seen. All those who were there are representatives of powerful countries, either because of their financial capacity, or because they have a huge population or because of their influence in some region of the planet. It is true that he G20, the meeting they hold annually in one of their countries has no regulatory capacity, they cannot force everyone to do what they say, but representing two thirds of the world’s population and controlling 75% of all global trade, any agreement they reached would end up forcing the rest. That’s why they are powerful.

The problem, once again, is that they have not reached any agreement. Or, rather, none of the hottest ones on the global agenda: war, climate or inequality. One more summit, which in the end ends with a statement that mentions the war and talks about the suffering of the Ukrainians, but without pointing to Russia and its responsibility, nor advance in possible exits. Nor in the climate, where it is now common to go to the next meeting to avoid compromised agreements that are not going to be fulfilled later. Only in inequality have they announced timid reforms at the World Bank and in debt financing. India is strengthened with a new global connection project in imitation of the Chinese Silk Road and the group joins the African Union as a new member. The next meeting will be the G-21. A more inclusive group that would hopefully be somewhat more decisive in everything that affects the global agenda. Because if the powerful don’t agree, everyone looks the other way.

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