The 2024 G20 summit took place on November 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, chaired by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The summit focused on several pressing global issues including social inclusion, global governance reform, energy transitions, climate change, and ongoing geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine and US-China trade relations
. Key outcomes and agenda highlights from the 2024 summit included:
- Launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a Brazilian initiative aiming to mobilize countries and organizations to eradicate hunger and poverty by 2030
- Discussions on climate change and the clean energy transition, with Brazil emphasizing environmental policies and sustainability
- Addressing economic shocks affecting emerging economies, especially due to the energy crisis linked to the war in Ukraine, inflation, and currency depreciation
- Continued geopolitical divisions, notably Russia’s absence due to the ICC arrest warrant and ongoing tensions around its participation
- Efforts to reform international institutions and enhance global cooperation on economic and social issues
Following Brazil’s presidency, South Africa took over the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, marking the first time an African country hosts the G20. South Africa’s theme for its presidency is "Fostering Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainable Development," with a strong focus on Africa's development aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063
. Additionally, the G20 made historic progress by agreeing to cooperate on taxing ultra-wealthy individuals, a significant step toward tackling global inequality
. In summary, the G20 continues to serve as a forum for the world’s largest economies to coordinate on economic, social, and environmental challenges, with recent summits emphasizing climate action, social inclusion, and geopolitical tensions, while the upcoming South African presidency aims to highlight development and equality issues from the Global South perspective
