G20 leaders demand ‘comprehensive’ ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon

Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies, on Monday, demanded “comprehensive” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.

This was disclosed at the G20 Summit in Brazil on November 18, 2024.

The summit has a launching event of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

The economic forum reportedly convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the aim of strengthening international agreement on pressing challenges.

According to reports, this includes the return of US President-elect Donald Trump to the White House in January and increased tensions around the world.

They emphasized the necessity of collaboration on poverty alleviation, climate change, and ultra-rich taxation.

On the first day of the two-day summit, Ukraine took center stage when Washington authorized Kyiv to use US-provided long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.

G20 leaders managed to reach a limited agreement on Ukraine in their closing statement.

“All pertinent and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace” were welcomed by the leaders.

The “threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition” was denounced once more.

However, Russian aggression was not mentioned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin was not there because he was subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, which requires member states to take him into custody.

Instead, the foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov represented Russia.

A “comprehensive” ceasefire in Gaza was another demand made by the G20 leaders.

This is consistent with a United Nations resolution that the United States has proposed, calling for a permanent cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of all Hamas-held prisoners.

Their statement expressed “deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in the Palestinian enclave.

It also displayed concern over the “escalation in Lebanon”.

It demanded a ceasefire in order to allow “citizens to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line”.

The Blue Line is the demarcation line dividing Lebanon from Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.

Summit on hunger and extreme poverty

Left-wing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva centered the summit on hunger and extreme poverty.

As a result, the group’s final statement supported collaboration in order to tax “ultra-high-net-worth individuals” properly.

Lula, who was up in poverty, had earlier announced a global initiative to combat hunger and poverty to kick off the summit.

He underlined that these difficulties are “the product of political decisions” rather than “the result of scarcity or natural phenomena.”

Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

Eighty-one countries signed the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

Major philanthropies and international banks, including 18 of the 19 G20 countries, also support the global alliance.

Argentina, led by right-wing President Javier Milei, was the only G20 country to oppose it.

Argentina also partially disagreed with the G20’s final conclusion on a number of issues.

The UN’s earlier 2030 sustainable development plan, which Milei has described as “a supranational program of a socialist nature,” is one example of such content.

Lula’s opening speech also emphasized the widespread effect of climate change.

The final declaration contained no climate breakthrough.

But leaders only acknowledged that “substantially scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources” was necessary.

Although they did not specify who would supply the money, they did agree that by the end of the UN’s COP29 climate change summit in Azerbaijan, a target amount of money should be given by wealthy countries to poorer ones.

About G20 countries

The G20 (Group of Twenty) is an international forum bringing together the world’s leading economies to discuss global economic issues. A comprehensive list of the G20 Countries are:

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Brazil
4. Canada
5. China
6. France
7. Germany
8. India
9. Indonesia
10. Italy
11. Japan
12. Mexico
13. Russia
14. Saudi Arabia
15. South Africa
16. South Korea
17. Turkey
18. United Kingdom
19. United States
20. European Union (represented by the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council)

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