G20 pushes back against US: 'You can't allow this to be hijacked by a single actor'

European and African leaders used the G20 Summit in Johannesburg to convey a united message that US President Donald Trump's administration will not derail multilateral cooperation, says political analyst Sanusha Naidu.

She said that efforts by the US to undermine support for the final G20 declaration were unsuccessful, as both blocs supported South Africa’s presidency to shield the process from being "hijacked by a single actor".

Some countries pushed back against inclusive language on gender, development, and inequality, which resulted in lengthy negotiations before a consensus was reached.

Naidu emphasised an important nuance: the final paragraph of the declaration formally supports the upcoming US presidency of the G20 next year while indicating that member states anticipate a recalibration when the UK hosts in 2027.

"That's a profound statement because it's recognising that the US may try not to contain what's in the declaration but try to manoeuvre around certain things that they won't want to take forward. Or they may not want to be talking about issues when it comes to dealing with inequality, or credit rating agency methodologies, or issues around debt sustainability questions, because the US has indicated through their sherpa and through their various engagement reps that they want to go back to basics.

"If you look at the G20, it is born out of crisis, it is defined by crisis, and it will be underpinned by crisis."

To listen to Naidu in conversation with CapeTalk's Clarence Ford, click below: