World leaders attending the G20 Summit pose for a group photo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (November 19, 2024)

G20 Summit Focuses on Global South Priorities, Excludes Human Rights and Uyghur Issue

The G20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro focused on addressing the pressing priorities of the Global South, emphasizing key issues such as climate change, poverty reduction, and the taxation of ultra-wealthy individuals. The leaders of the world's largest economies called for progressive tax systems to reduce domestic inequality and foster sustainable, inclusive growth. The communiqué highlighted these initiatives as crucial for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as the host of the summit, advocated for major reforms to global governance, particularly expanding the United Nations Security Council. Lula criticized the failure of globalization, suggesting that the international community is drifting aimlessly, caught in hegemonic disputes, and heading towards tragedy.

While the G20 summit addressed the humanitarian impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the statement refrained from condemning Russia’s actions, drawing criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The leaders also called for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. Despite the urgent need for climate action, the G20 summit did not address sensitive human rights issues such as the treatment of Uyghurs in East Turkistan (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) or Hong Kong’s political situation. The absence of these topics from the official discussions highlights the geopolitical and economic sensitivities that overshadow human rights concerns. This comes at a time when the U.S. State Department and several Western countries’ parliaments have passed resolutions declaring China’s actions in East Turkestan as genocide against the Uyghurs, with the UN Human Rights Council's 2022 report also labeling China's actions as crimes against humanity. However, in recent years, many countries have prioritized economic engagements with China, increasingly sidelining human rights issues, including the treatment of Uyghurs.

As the summit concluded, Brazil handed over the G20 presidency to South Africa, continuing the global dialogue on climate change and governance reforms, while leaving unresolved human rights issues on the periphery.

November 20 2024