G20 STRUGGLES TO STAY RELEVANT AMID TURMOIL

AS the leaders of the world's major economies confabulate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the annual G20 summit, unresolved geopolitical tensions continue to blight global landscape.

- E D MATHEW

The war in Ukraine has just passed its 1,000th day and there is no end in sight for Israel's genocidal conflict with Palestinians. Escalating tensions have drawn Lebanon and Iran deeper into the West Asian turmoil.

In addition, the air in Rio's Museum of Modern Art, the venue of the conclave, is thick with the unpredictability of US president-elect Donald Trump-a well-known sceptic of multilateralism-who will occupy the White House two months from now and host the G20 summit in 2026.

Created in 1999 in response to a series of major international debt crises, the Group of 20 aims to unite world leaders around shared economic, political and health challenges. It is an informal group representing some 85 percent of the global GDP, 75 percent of world trade, and about two-thirds of the world's population. Consisting of 19 countries, the European Union and the African Union (AU), it bills itself as the "premier forum for international cooperation".

The Rio summit marks the first time the AU will participate as a full member, as it was inducted only last year during the gathering in New Delhi. Its inclusion underscores the importance of multilateral collaboration between emerging economies and developed nations.