Johannesburg, South Africa – A draft communique has been agreed upon for the G20 summit set to conclude this Sunday in Johannesburg. The agreement comes after intensive negotiations between participating member nations, notably absent of the United States.
The draft reportedly includes references to “climate change,” a topic that has been a point of contention. The US delegation is not attending the summit, citing disagreements with the priorities set by South Africa for this year’s meeting.
Details of the communique remain scarce. The final statement will not bear the traditional title of “G20 Leaders’ Declaration.” The exact wording of the agreed-upon title remains undisclosed.
A source familiar with the matter indicated that the draft declaration contains mentions of “climate change,” despite previous objections. G20 joint statements typically aim to highlight areas of consensus among member nations regarding the global economy.
This year’s summit in Johannesburg, themed “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” focuses on supporting developing nations through debt relief and financial measures to address climate change-related disasters. Several world leaders have already arrived in South Africa, including the President of Brazil, the Prime Minister of China, and the President of France.
The White House confirmed that the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in South Africa will attend the handover ceremony for the rotating G20 presidency. The United States is scheduled to host the G20 summit next year at a golf club in Florida.
DZWatch will continue to provide updates on the G20 summit as events unfold.
