G20 nations must strive to prevent new wars and global economic chaos

Monday at the G20 summit saw a key meeting between the US and China. AP

Taking place under the theme "Recover Together, Recover Stronger," this year's G20 summit could hardly be more pressing, as hopes for economic recovery from the turmoil of Covid-19 are getting more and more distant by the day.

The group, which is made up of 19 countries and the EU, has massive sway when it comes to the world economy. Its countries constitute about 80 per cent of Global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two thirds of the world's population.

That is why they need to muster all the energy and clout they have to stop a potentially devastating global downturn.

Other powers are in attendance to support the process. On Monday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed touched down at Indonesia's Ngurah Rai International Airport, at the invitation of the host to attend the summit. He was also there to consolidate strong ties between the UAE and Indonesia.

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  President Sheikh Mohamed arrives for the G20 Summit in Nusa, Bali. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  US President Joe Biden, right, and China's President Xi Jinping, left, shake hands at the summit. AFP

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  Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives. AFP

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  French President Emmanuel Macron is welcomed. AFP

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) arrives. EPA

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  Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan arrive to attend the meeting. AFP

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  Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko Kishida arrive. Reuters

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  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives. Reuters

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  Students wave flags of G20 member nations to greet world leaders, on a street near Ngurah Rai International airport in Bali. EPA

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  US President Joe Biden and Indonesia's President Joko Widodo hold a meeting in Bali. AFP

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  A video by Amazon and Bezos Earth Fund executive chairman Jeff Bezos is displayed at the B20 Summit for business leaders, held before the G20 leaders summit. AP

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  US President Joe Biden arrives for the summit in Bali. AFP

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  Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) arrives to attend the G20 summit. AFP

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  South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive. EPA

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  British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a 'huddle' press conference with political journalists on board a plane heading for Bali. PA

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  Tourists pose for pictures in front of police-armoured vehicles parked near the venue of the G20 Bali Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali. AFP

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  Indonesia is gearing up to host leaders of the world's biggest economies. AP Photo

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  A plane comes in to land at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali. AFP

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  Bali will host the 17th Group of 20 Heads of State and Government Summit from November 15 to 16. EPA

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  Flags of the participating countries line a motorway. AFP

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  Hindus join the Melaspas and Mecaru rituals ahead of the G20 meeting. Reuters

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  The logo of the G20 summit, in Jakarta. AFP

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  Indonesian military personnel take part in a security drill for the G20 meeting in Denpasar, Bali's main city. EPA

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  Indonesian military personnel prepare for the G20 meeting. Reuters

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  An Indonesian police officer stands in front of a portrait of President Joko Widodo. EPA

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  Part of the security drill in Denpasar. Reuters

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  Indonesian police officers. EPA

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  Female police officers stand to attention during a security parade. AP Photo

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  Soldiers during a security parade. AP Photo

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  Military honour guards at a security parade. AP Photo

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  Indonesian military personnel. AFP

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  Indonesian military personnel on the resort island of Bali. AFP

But the meeting will be globally historic for bleaker reasons.

Top of the agenda is the war in Ukraine, which has stressed both food and energy markets, affecting both rich and poor countries. In what some view as a blow to diplomatic progress on the issue, Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of the G20s most important leaders, is not in attendance. Instead, Russia is represented in person by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Earlier speculation that both Mr Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could share the same platform for the first time might have been dashed, but Ukraine will still rank high on the agenda, particularly for the biggest players at the summit.

Therefore, all eyes were on Monday's meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Tensions are high between the two, but words exchanged by both on Monday were encouragingly friendly. With an arm around his colleague, Mr Biden said "It's just great to see you". It is the first time the pair have met in person since the Obama administration, when Mr Biden was vice president.

The horrors of the Ukraine war are evidence enough that 21st-century interstate conflict must be stopped. That is why the pair were so keen to discuss others that could break out, particularly between North and South Korea and even China and the US themselves over the status of Taiwan.

The case for such collaboration at the G20 must be made in such a dangerous situation, and reinforced through actions when both return to their respective countries.

While he is in the country, Sheikh Mohamed also attended with his Indonesian counterpart President Joko Widodo the inauguration of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Solo. It is a replica of the bigger site in Abu Dhabi, and, according to a tweet released by Sheikh Mohamed on Monday, represents values of peace and goodwill.

It is a significant visit that can remind people that, however bad things are, co-operation and friendship still has a place in global diplomacy.

At the end of the G20 conference, members are expected release a statement of commitments that delegates have reached at the meeting. It will undoubtedly be couched in the language of co-operation and collaboration so often seen in diplomatic documents. But none of it is binding. In such difficult times, taking these statements forward after the meeting will, therefore, be of tantamount importance.