Consensus reached on G20 declaration despite Ukraine differences – Modi

Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister and G20 host, has announced the adoption of the summit’s final declaration on Saturday, after the group reached a consensus.

“Thanks to the hard work of our team and your support, a consensus has been reached on the declaration from the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi,” Modi said.

“I announce the adoption of the declaration,” added the Indian Prime Minister, accompanying his words with a ceremonial hammer blow.

The contents of the joint communiqué from the G20, a group of the world’s largest economies to which the African Union was officially included as a permanent member for the first time, has not yet been made public.

Achieving consensus among G20 members has become increasingly complex in recent years, partly due to divisions over what stance to take on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and over the funding needed to support it.

There had been concerns over whether a joint declaration would be possible at all, due to the differences within the group over the conflict.

It was feared, too, that the absence of the Russian and Chinese presidents could also make it significantly more difficult for the G20 leaders to come to a consensus.

For Indian official and G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant, one of the key organisers of the New Delhi summit, Saturday’s discussions proved that this year was the most “ambitious” in the history of the club of the world’s largest economies.

“We have more than tripled the substantive work from previous presidencies,” Kant wrote on X (formerly Twitter).