The Hindu Editorial Analysis
25 November 2025
Missing ‘Ubuntu’
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS 2 – International Institutions
Context
The U.S. decision to boycott the Johannesburg G-20 summit was diplomatically unwise.
Introduction
The Johannesburg G-20 Summit, the first held in Africa, highlighted a stronger Global South voice with the African Union joining as a full member. Leaders discussed rising conflicts, inequality, and global instability while India proposed key initiatives to reshape development. The summit reflected growing expectations for a more inclusive, cooperative, and equitable international order.
Overview of the Johannesburg Summit
- The G-20 Summit in Johannesburg was historic as the first held in Africa.
- The inclusion of the African Union as a full member during India’s 2023 Presidency added a stronger Global South voice.
- The declaration highlighted global challenges such as conflicts, inequality, and economic instability.
Key Global Issues Discussed
- Leaders called for a “just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” in Sudan, DR Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Ukraine, citing the UN Charter.
- The discussions emphasised the need for addressing rising geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crises.
India’s Proposed Initiatives
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at all G-20 sessions and suggested six major initiatives to rethink global development:
- Traditional Knowledge Repository
- G20–Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative (training 1 million Africans)
- Global Healthcare Response Team
- Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus
- Open Satellite Data Partnership for agriculture, fisheries, and disaster data
- G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative
- India helped draft the declaration but was dissatisfied with the weak condemnation of terrorism compared to the 2023 New Delhi Declaration.
U.S. Absence and Its Implications
- Leaders stressed strengthening the G-20’s role in solving global challenges, yet failed to address the absence of U.S. President Donald Trump.
- The U.S. not only skipped the summit but also boycotted it, sending only an observer in protest against alleged discrimination against White minority farmers in South Africa.
- This is the first time the U.S. has walked away from a G-20 leaders’ summit.
Concerns over Global Commitment
- The U.S. decision casts doubt on its commitment to the G-20, even as it prepares to assume the 2026 presidency.
- The absence of the world’s largest economy and the muted global reaction undermine hopes for a truly democratic international order.
- The declaration’s reference to “Ubuntu” — “I am because we are” — serves as a reminder that major powers must not sideline the grouping’s collective spirit.
Conclusion
The summit’s outcomes underline the need for genuine global cooperation, especially as major powers like the United States distance themselves from key forums. Upholding the spirit of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—is essential to strengthening the G-20’s relevance. For the grouping to remain effective, all nations must commit to dialogue, collective responsibility, and a more balanced, representative, and unified world order.