G20 leaders’ summit produces declaration, with Ukraine war the most debated article

November 17, 2022 Indonesia Events & Announcements

President Joko Widodo officially handed over the G20 presidency to India at the end of the two-day summit.

NUSA DUA, Indonesia: Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the war in Ukraine was the most debated article of the Group of 20 (G20) declaration, which was ratified on Wednesday (Nov 16) at the closing of the annual leaders’ summit.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the two-day economic meet in Nusa Dua, Bali, Mr Widodo noted initial doubts over whether the leaders would be able to produce a declaration.

“Discussions on this matter were very, very tough and in the end, the leaders of the G20 agreed on the contents of the declaration, namely condemnation of the war in Ukraine since it is a violation of territorial integrity,” said Mr Jokowi, as the president is popularly known.

“There is only one article that is highly debated, namely the stance towards the war in Ukraine. We talked about this until midnight and finally, the Bali Declaration was reached with a consensus.”

There are 52 articles in the Bali Leaders’ Declaration.

It states that most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine, and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy. The war is constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity and elevating financial stability risks, members said in the declaration.

It also states that it is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.

Today’s era must not be of war, it adds.

Indonesia is this year’s rotating president of the G20, which comes amid a war in Ukraine that broke out in February.

While Western countries have condemned Russia for invading Ukraine, Indonesia has remained neutral throughout its G20 presidency, calling for the war to end without directly blaming Moscow.

The war led to disagreements at ministerial meetings leading up to the G20 summit, resulting in the lack of a declaration.

Mr Jokowi said he was happy that the leaders’ summit this week managed to produce a declaration, and added that it was the first realisable one since February.