The G20 Johannesburg Summit: Preserving multilateral cooperation in a fragmented world

As we gather for the G20 summit in Johannesburg, we do so under the shadow of a paradox. On the one hand, international cooperation has never been so indispensable. On the other, it has rarely seemed so fragile. 

The spiral of impunity that began with Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022 – in blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter – only accelerated with Israel’s disproportionate response to the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks by Hamas and the dramatic situation in Palestine. In the meantime, other wars continue to rage, inequality continues to widen, trade tensions have dramatically increased and climate change accelerates at a pace that outstrips our capacity to respond. 

While Spain applauds and supports all efforts aimed at reaching a just and sustainable peace, such as the US-sponsored Gaza peace plan, current dynamics risk undermining the credibility of the multilateral system as a whole. The temptation for countries to retreat into themselves is strong. Yet the truth is that no country – large or small, developed or developing – can meet these challenges alone.

This is precisely why the G20 matters. It is not perfect, but it remains the one forum where the world’s leading economies can sit at the same table. In moments of tension, that basic fact – that dialogue remains possible – is not to be underestimated.

Earlier this year, together with presidents Lula da Silva and Cyril Ramaphosa, I wrote that the only way forward is to unite our forces to overcome global challenges. The argument was simple: no wall can keep out a warming climate, no border can shield a country from financial contagion, and no country can thrive in a world where inequality fuels instability. 

That conviction animated Spain’s hosting of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where governments adopted the Compromiso de Sevilla and we launched a Platform for Action with over a hundred concrete initiatives for tangible, real-world impact. Johannesburg should build on that momentum.

Keeping the long view in sight

Amid today’s crises, we must not lose sight of humanity’s major long-term challenges. First and foremost is climate change, which already wreaks havoc through floods, droughts, wildfires and heatwaves. It is the most unequal of crises, as its worst impacts fall on the poorest, who have contributed the least to the problem. The G20 has a duty to lead. The historic commitment made at the 28th UN Climate Conference to transition away from fossil fuels must not be watered down. It may take time to accelerate ambition, but losing ground would be indefensible.

A second long-term challenge is inequality. Within countries, it corrodes social cohesion; between countries, it creates resentment and instability. Financing for development, debt relief and fairer tax systems are not abstract debates. They are about whether children can access education, whether communities can thrive. 

We made substantial progress on tax matters in previous G20 summits. Allowing that to unravel would be more than a missed opportunity – it would be a step backwards, opening the door to a race to the bottom that only benefits tax havens while depriving our citizens of resources for schools, hospitals and the green transition. This is why I also support President Ramaphosa’s initiative to establish a committee of independent experts to deliver a report on global inequality.

A call for realism and solidarity

To make progress, we need both ambition and realism. Developed countries should put themselves in the shoes of developing ones, recognising the fiscal and climate pressures they face. At the same time, emerging economies should understand the domestic political constraints of richer countries. Multilateralism is built not on wishful thinking but on the patient search for common ground.

Spain, as the G20’s only permanently invited country, will continue to champion initiatives that make cooperation tangible: reforming and reinforcing the multilateral system with the UN at its core, advancing international debt and tax reform, and mobilising resources for sustainable development. We will work with all willing partners to ensure that Seville’s momentum translates into Johannesburg’s decisions.

The stakes in Johannesburg

The G20 is often described as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. In truth, it is more than that. It is the arena where the world tests whether cooperation is still possible in an age of fragmentation. 

Yet we must be clear-eyed about the environment in which we gather. Taking bold steps forward might prove difficult. But in such moments, preserving what has been achieved is itself a form of progress. In other words: not going backwards can be as important as moving ahead.

The stakes in Johannesburg are clear. If we fail to preserve multilateral cooperation now, the price will be paid tomorrow – in a hotter, unlivable planet, a more unequal global economy and a more unstable international order. If we succeed, we will not only defend the principle of collective action; we will also give ourselves the chance to renew it, to adapt it and to make it work for a new era.

This is the challenge before us. It is daunting, but the alternative – resignation, division and backsliding – is far worse. At times like these, holding the line is already an act of leadership, and the first step towards regaining the initiative.