G20 Malaise? Do Global Gatherings Retain Relevancy Or Are They Increasingly Examples Of Muddling? President Of Argentina Engages In COVID-era Social Distancing With President Of Brazil
Does Malaise And Political Indigestion Define G20 Leaders’ Summit In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil?
President Of Argentina Engages In COVID-era Social Distancing With President Of Brazil
Do Global Gatherings Retain Relevancy Or Are They Increasingly Examples Of Muddling?
The increasingly prevalent conundrum when participating in the annual G7 Summits, G20 Summits, NATO Summits, BRICS Summits, Gulf Cooperation Council Summits, and United Nations General Assemblies (UNGA) is whether for participants the outcomes (desired and otherwise) equate with the effort, expense, and time required by heads of state and heads of government to assemble for each event.
Annual gatherings of heads of state and heads of government have become too predictive for their relaxed schedules, and that is being charitable.
The lack of robust bilateral meeting schedules by participants at annual gatherings is embarrassing- or should be embarrassing for most participants given the substantial taxpayer cost for them and entourages. However, some bilaterals and pull-asides are often so thoroughly scripted they become glorified photo opportunities.
In some instances, participants are absent because they are in a bilateral and the allotted time passes and they continue to find value in speaking with their colleague(s)- that is how a bilateral is supposed to operate. If important, keep at it.
The unknown is whether the bilateral meetings which take place during an annual event, and are often in advance confirmed in private, but remain unconfirmed in public until they are soon-to-happen, are happening, or have happened, to preserve the diplomative performative value, would take place but for participation at an annual event.
Sometimes, the participants bring unnecessary family members- Why should United States taxpayers pay for the daughter and granddaughter of the President of the United States for a visit to Peru and Brazil? It is inappropriate- and that he does not recognize it sends only reinforces the message of abusive entitlement to those who pay his salary.
The outcomes of the annual gatherings are predictive (the communique drafting process commencing months prior to the annual gathering). Communiques which require consensus reveal they reflect the weakest sentiments rather than the strongest sentiments. The parties who advocate for weakness will prevail- even when a subject would suggest consensus or even demand it.
When in the room for the official sessions and when viewing internal live video feeds from the host government, most often while one person is speaking the others are engaging with their cellular devices; engaging with their seatmates to the left or to the right; engaging with their staff; nodding off; arriving late; departing early; or not appearing. Why? Because almost every sentence uttered was known in advance- so why pay attention? Applaud respectfully, but focus elsewhere.
The Group of 20 (G20) is based solely upon Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 18/19 November 2024:
G20: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, United Kingdom, United States.
For the first day, two hours for the arrivals of participants. Is this optic necessary? No, it is not. The visuals of multi-vehicle motorcades and levels of security only reinforce the distance between those who govern and those who are governed. Arrive at the venue and get to work. The worst moments:
The President of Argentina engaging in “Social Distancing” as though he was avoiding someone infected with COVID-19 when meeting the President of Brazil and then engaging in performative at-the-waist bowing resembling a nineteenth century royal norm.
The President of the United States rather than walking up a twenty-three-meter (75-feet) incline to the entrance of the Museu de Arte do Rio (MAM), he used an elevator. The White House and government of Brazil suggested “security concerns” yet the Presidents of Argentina, China and France, Chancellor of Germany, and Prime Ministers of Australia, United Kingdom, Italy, India, Canada, Turkiye, and Indonesia among others all felt safe enough, and physically fit enough to tackle the cardio-helping incline.
Then a first session with almost all the two hours and forty minutes allotted for 5-minute (G20 members), 3-minute (Guest Countries), and 2-Minute (International Organizations) remarks- mostly written in advance.
Then a second session of three hours and forty-five minutes whose script reflected the timekeeping at the first session.
For the second day, ninety minutes for the arrivals of participants. A third session of two hours and fifteen minutes which again mirrors the timekeeping for the previous two sessions.
A two-hour farewell lunch and after a four-hour bilateral meeting opportunity. However, many participants take their leave to the airport after participating in individual press conferences.
NOTE: For the prime minister of Canada, he is praying to the aviation almighty for no issues with his aircraft- as mechanical issues at the conclusion of the 2023 G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, caused a multi-day delay in his return to Canada.
Stepping On The Desired Narrative.
The President of Brazil intended for the G20 Leaders’ Summit to have three (3) focuses- and they have been known for nearing a year: 1st Session: Social Inclusion and the Fight against Hunger and Poverty; 2nd Session: Reform of Global Governance Institutions; and 3rd Session: Sustainable Development and Energy Transitions. Often, unscheduled happenings disrupt plans:
Four days before the G20 Leaders’ Summit the Chancellor of Germany initiates a conversation by telephone with the President of the Russian Federation.
Two days before the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the First Lady of Brazil said at an event “Fuck You, Elon Musk” (Starlink, Tesla, SpaceX) who is having regulatory issues with the government of Brazil.
The first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the President of Turkiye was reported as planning to share with participants his vision to obtain a cessation of military operations by the armed forces of the Russian Federation and armed forces of Ukraine with today marking the 1,000th day since 24 February 2022.
The first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the President of Brazil awaits the President of United States to use an elevator rather than walk to the location of the ubiquitous handshake and photo opportunity. The President of the United States reminded everyone a reason he is serving only one four-year term- the optics of infirmity.
Are annual gatherings necessary given the twenty-four to forty-eight hours of their individual lifespans? In their current iterations, for some their life expectancies may be in doubt. The gatherings are not transformative. They are not dynamic. They are not inspiring.
The annual gatherings have become more about homage to the participants and their entourages than for whom the participants are supposed to represent.
The annual gatherings are the means to reflect the status quo rather than challenge the status quo; and a means for the survival of and the maintenance for the existing global commercial, economic, financial, military, political, and social order.
There are heads of state and heads of government who are imaginative, who swagger, who bully, who belittle.
Sometimes, those traits are required to bring an issue to the attention of participants at an annual gathering. However, those traits are not always the more efficient from which to construct a consensus, to migrate from an issue to a solution and then the implementation of that solution.
For now, the annual gatherings will remain. Hopefully, the participants will decide to make better use of their time while attending the annual gatherings- and remember who is paying for the aircraft fuel, hotel bills, and meals. There should be Quid Pro Quo.
