World Insights: World will no longer wait for absent U.S.

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- In a world increasingly moving towards multipolarity, two major international gatherings held in recent days have captured global attention, with significant agreements reached in the absence of the United States.

The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belem, Brazil, passed a key document on Saturday, underscoring the irreversible trend of global green transformation.

On the same day, the 20th Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, adopted a joint declaration that emphasizes multilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Despite the absence of the United States at both events, the international community pushed forward, achieving consensus and taking significant steps to tackle climate change and foster inclusive global development.

U.S. ABSENCE CREATES SPACE FOR GLOBAL CONSENSUS

On Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the G20 summit closed, banging a ceremonial gavel on the table.

Traditionally, Ramaphosa was supposed to hand the gavel over to the leader of the country taking over the next rotating chairmanship of the G20, but U.S. President Donald Trump opted not to attend the summit. Washington had asked Ramaphosa to hand it over to a junior embassy official, but the South African president refused.

Not only did the U.S. government refuse to participate in the summit, but it also pressured South Africa to prevent the adoption of any summit outcome document without U.S. approval, drawing widespread international criticism.

The COP30 meeting, held in Belem, Brazil, also saw no high-level U.S. representatives in attendance, marking the first time that the United States did not send any senior officials to a United Nations (UN) climate conference.

The United States' absence from the two events signals a retreat of its global responsibilities, and shows that it cares more about its interests rather than the global green finance and technology transfer that it used to advocate verbally, said Noha Bakir, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo.

The outcomes of these two summits mean the world can rely on new reliable powers and that the world has a new approach to enter a post-unipolar phase where the Global South has a real influence, led by countries that advocate good international governance, she said.

"Ironically, the absence of President Trump may create more space for real consensus, because people won't be constantly looking over their shoulder at him and trying to anticipate or navigate his conduct and his positioning," Richard Calland, a professor from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, told the BBC.

At a time when the concerns of the Global South are becoming more prominent, the absence of the United States weakens its ability to shape global agendas and signals a gradual erosion of its international influence, said Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

RISE OF THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Despite U.S. opposition to the issuance of a joint declaration at the G20 summit, the gathering managed to reach an agreement on the very first day of the conference. At the COP30, after intense negotiations, the conference was extended by one day and reached a landmark political document.

The declaration of the G20 summit emphasizes addressing global challenges through multilateral cooperation and calls for increased support for developing countries to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, the document adopted at the COP30 covers multiple issues, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, climate finance, and international cooperation, and for the first time, it incorporates trade issues into the outcome document.

Both meetings highlighted a key trend: The international community, even in the face of U.S. interference and threats, was able to forge agreements and make progress, with the Global South becoming an important force in advancing global economic governance and climate governance.

It demonstrates the emergence of a more balanced international order where the Global South plays a central role in advancing fairer cooperation, pragmatic development solutions and a more representative global system, said Paul Frimpong, executive director of the Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory, a think tank based in Ghana.

Xu Feibiao, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, believes that the two events demonstrated the growing willingness and capability of the Global South to participate in global governance.

The Global South is now taking on global governance responsibilities with greater confidence, pushing for inclusive, sustainable and mutually beneficial development pathways, he said.

GLOBAL PROGRESS WITHOUT U.S. PARTICIPATION

"Can the world move on without the U.S.?" The New York Times asked in a report on Sunday. The answer, as evidenced by the successful outcomes of both the G20 and COP30, is "yes."

"The G20 should send a clear message that the world can move on with or without the U.S.," said South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, before the summit. "We will mark them absent and continue with the business."

Many international experts agree that the absence of the United States at the events reflects a deeper shift in the global order, one where multilateralism can thrive without the involvement of a single power.

Despite the absence of the United States, both meetings still achieved significant outcomes, which in itself indicates that the global agenda is no longer fully dependent on a single major power to drive it, said Abdulaziz Alshaabani, a researcher at Al Riyadh Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The absence of the United States reflects a decline in its presence and leadership in multilateral settings, weakening its ability to directly shape international laws and commitments, said Dahham Al Enazi, a Saudi political analyst.

The meetings revealed three main trends: the rising role of the Global South in setting agendas, the shift of the climate discourse towards actionable tools and financing, and political compromises that reflect the balance of power, he said.

Maya Majueran, founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, believes that both outcomes underline a simple truth: The world is willing and capable of advancing global cooperation without U.S. leadership.

"Rather than slowing down, global cooperation accelerated. And in doing so, it sent a clear message: the world is no longer waiting for Washington," he said. ■