John Kavulich on the outcomes of G20 Leaders' Summit

The article is a transcript from an SABC broadcast on the final day of the G20 Leaders Summit hosted by South Africa in 2025 at the Nazareth Center. Anchor interviews John Kabalik, a senior research editor at Outcome Modeling Analysis, who analyzes the summit's outcomes. Key points include: the G20 declaration, issued on the first day, has a short 'shelf life' of about 48 hours due to consensus-based compromises, making it instructive but quickly forgettable; instead, the summit's value lies in optics, visuals, leader statements, and how host President Cyril Ramaphosa managed surprises. A major focus is the U.S. absence under President Donald Trump, who initially declined attendance, flip-flopped on sending Vice President JD Vance, and ultimately boycotted, amid his unfounded attacks on South Africa involving terms like 'white genocide' and refugee offers to white Afrikaners. Ramaphosa is praised for handling this 'bullying' statesmanlike, setting a precedent for G20 participation without one major member. The handover ceremony to the next host (U.S.) lacks precedent due to the boycott, with South Africa asserting its rights by not forcing a protocol breach, such as handing over to a junior U.S. official; Kabalik advises letting time pass amid U.S. distractions like Thanksgiving and a Russia-Ukraine peace proposal. Unplanned benefits emerged, reminiscent of the 2022 Bali Summit: Trump's 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan prompted an impromptu leaders' meeting, leading to discussions and a follow-up in Geneva today, leveraging the physical gathering of attendees. Overall, the summit is deemed a success for South Africa, advancing goals like the African Union's permanent G20 membership (echoing India's 2023 role), despite challenges, with rolling coverage continuing.