G-20 Summit Post-Game Analysis Posted by David Shorr

When we watch the planet's most powerful men and women assembled in an effort to navigate the global economy's current rough seas -- as G-20 leaders did in Cannes last week -- do they deserve our scorn, sympathy, or something in between? If it's political heroics you're looking for, then you are bound to have pretty low regard for these people. For those of us who follow the process closely, on the other hand, a modicum of sympathy toward the leaders is the only basis for a fair assessment.

Indeed, a couple seasoned summit-watchers used their Cannes wrap-up commentaries to turn their criticism on the G-20 critics. As Alan Alexandroff of U. of Toronto Munk School's Digital 20 Project posts on his Rising BRICSAM blog, he dove into the weekend media coverage in fully braced for a hatchet job on the summit, and wasn't disappointed. Both Alan and Barry Carin of the Centre for International Governance Innovation stress that world leaders have to surmount domestic political obstacles, rather than dismissing or wishing them away. As a reality check, Barry takes stock of all the thorny matters on the global economic agenda:

It was certainly foolish to expect that Cannes would resolve the euro crisis, reverse the global economic slowdown, put an end to currency misalignments, adopt a Tobin tax and new regulations on banks “too big to fail,” restrict speculation on food markets, save the Doha Round, and deal conclusively with climate change. If the gridlocked US political system is unable to agree to a medium-term debt reduction plan while still stimulating the economy in the short term, it is wishful thinking to expect that G20 leaders can do so.

It's not that world leaders should be given a pass, but instead of waiting for them to leap tall policy shifts in a single bound, we must appreciate that the most important agenda items can only be achieved incrementally. Both of my colleagues offer helpful explanations of how the G-20 actually functions. The Alexandroff post highlights the work of lower-level officials that takes place in between summits, and the Carin post portrays the G-20's main function as commissioning work from other, more narrowly focused of the multilateral system. I agree with the idea of G-20 leaders as high-level agenda setters, but we must acknowledge that for signature G-20 issues like economic rebalancing, they have a higher agree of ownership.

I want to note three things of particular interest that happened at Cannes.

For those of us who'd like to bolster the G-20's credibility, one concern has been the group's perfunctory calls for trade negotiators in the World Trade Organization's decade-long Doha Round of talks to reach an agreement. Many have argued that simply admitting failure would be a refreshingly honest break with the pretense that success is within grasp. The leaders in Cannes didn't go quite that far, but paragraph 66 of their summit communique did the next best thing -- instead of giving the talks a dubious deadline to complete within a year, they called for the negotiations to take coming year to show a plausible new path forward or go back to the drawing board. 

While I haven't seen it mentioned in media reports, apparently there was a significant development regarding China's participation at the summit. From what a colleague told us, Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke to his G-20 colleagues without a prepared text (hat tip to Yves Tiberghien of U. of British Columbia). This may seem like a small thing, but in terms of the practice of summit diplomacy, it's actually an important step toward more substantive bargaining over policy issues and the increased effectiveness that could bring.

As I argued in a Stanley Foundation analysis brief earlier this year, the G-20 should gradually broaden its sphere beyond its traditional focus on economic policy. At heart, it's an argument about the need to better integrate the rising powers into the multilateral system. Some G-20 experts call for the summit process to "stick to its knitting" (i.e. the global economy), but we can debate over what should be considered the G-20's defining characteristic. On the one hand, its agenda and origins indeed focus on economic growth and financial stability. At the same time, though, the G-20 is also distinguished by being the only global leadership club where rising and established powers come together as peer equals -- the major new diplomatic initiative to adjust to shifts in global power. This wasn't a big issue in Cannes, but it did fall within the purview of the report commissioned from British Prime Minister David Cameron on the G-20 as an instrument of global governance (which addresses the question in paragraph 1.16):

In parallel, the scope of the G20’s agenda has been subject to much debate. In practice, the G20 represents 85% of the world economy. It should therefore focus on the challenges of economic globalisation broadly defined, and provide political impetus where it is most needed, where it can make the greatest impact, or where an absence of continued political engagement now could risk future crises.

As a participant in this debate over the breadth of the G-20 agenda, there's certainly enough for me to like in this para. Rather than clearly defining the G-20's proper basket of issues, it talks about globalization's "broadly defined" challenges. I also like the emphasis on G-20 leaders directing their efforts where they can do the most good. In all the discussion about keeping the leaders from becoming distracted, I like to point out that not all issues are equally distracting. The G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group is an example of a relatively uncontroversial issue where leaders have had a positive impact with a minimum of time and attention. 

Job One for the G-20 is clearly its stewardship of the global economy -- to keep it growing and ensure the international financial system is solid. But precisely because progress on many of these issues is incremental by necessity, the summit process has enough bandwidth to deal with other matters. Besides, as the group hopefully hits its stride, the gains in effectiveness will also make it easier to take on more issues. The point I always make is that we don't usually talk about rising powers only on the economic axis; they pose political challenges too, and our high-level diplomacy must reflect this.

Illustration by Boris Rasin

Comments

[Cheap jerseys wholesale]

Very good stuff you may have there, I will be back for a lot more reading quickly.

[Ugg]

Thank you for give very good informations. Your web is very good.I am impressed by the information that you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject. Bookmarked this page, will come back for more. 　xzq

[web promo]

Very nice and informative post. Keep up the good work. Please remember that I waiting for your next awesome post

[directory submission]

To this end, effectiveness and legitimacy of the G-20 are analyzed by utilizing the global governance concept.The discussions and negotiations among the developed and developing countries about the restructuring of the global financial architecture are evaluated. International and domestic political obstacles to global governance reforms and representativeness, coherence and compliance deficits of the G-20 are investigated.It was concluded that the financial crisis enhanced the importance of global governance and the G-20 came out as the organization that could abate the representativeness, coherence and compliance deficits of the global governance system. Nonetheless, because of diverging interests of the U.S., the E.U. and the developing countries, it is expected that global governance reforms and the restructuring of the international financial system will proceed slowly.

[Air Jordan 9 High Heels]

Good article, a see will attract people, so the article need not see know very well.

[Uggs Australia]

Such a nice post this is! Thanks for your sharing with us~!

[Winding Up Petition]

If you have been issued with a winding up petition for your company because the company owes money. You can pay the money owed before the court date and get the case droped or fight it if you believe it to be worth defending.

[معهد]

thanks for you >>
i well visit you again >>
Full software - free premium account

[shamballa bracelet]

The author has written an excellent blog. You made your point and not much to discuss. It’s like this universal truth that you can not argue with the truth is not universal,

[beats_en]

Very nice and informative post. Keep up the good work. Please remember that I waiting for your next awesome post

[Jeremy Scott Shoes]

There are a lot of things that make us happy, that make us smile. But what about all those little things those seemingly unimportant, often overlooked things that bring us a huge, disproportionate amount of joy?

[NFL hats]

I am looking forward to reading more of your posts in the future.I am Happy to be here! Interested parties can contact a lot

[orbea jersey]

The gains in effectiveness will also make it easier to take on more issues.

[dr dre beats headphones]

Obama, since his first day in office - has been actively trying to restore US engagement and influence in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia

[louis vuitton outlets]

Personage jingruiwyy of know the inside louis vuitton outlets story discloses, to enhance market sale ability, chinese UniCom is changing in the system that considers sale system, brew conformity branch of many front sale, establish sale company, the perpendicular management of executive from louis vuitton factory outlets above to below.

It is reported, before paragraph time, chinese UniCom held a place to save company general manager and discuss principles of headquarters branch general manager to meet, on the meeting, chinese UniCom high level put forward to want to establish the idea that sells a company, cause UniCom interior to pay close attention to highly.

According to divulging, uniCom hopes conformity of front sale branch rises, establish company of a sale louis vuitton outlet online technically, with dedicated at sale, implementation is more efficient. This sells branch of company general prep above this one administrative levels, will be louis vuitton factory online together conformity of ministry of client of market department, sale ministry, group, realize concentration of personnel, right of property. The UniCom network louis vuitton bags outlet when this is similar to UniCom to recombine a bit builds a company, the UniCom network at that time builds company interior to have integrated ministry, financial department besides business section.

Nevertheless, what with the UniCom network at that time construction louis vuitton sale company differs is, the sale company that UniCom brews is the perpendicular management pattern of a kind of from above to below, be similar to the mode of Hua Cheng of UniCom of UniCom terminal subsidiary, sale company headquarters is right from province branch branch of city reaching the ground, county has perpendicular administrative power, no matter personnel louis vuitton outlets is financial still, press a perpendicular management.

Current, whether implement this reform and hang in the balance, because the case is very complex, if establish UniCom to sell a company, to increasing efficiency, concentration manpower, financial capacity does sale nature to have profit, but louis vuitton outlet store this sale company and UniCom place branch are what relation, became an issue again, it is main be being returned to UniCom place branch is sell a company to be in charge of to ranking UniCom, this is a contradictory place.

Of course, another kind of plan is UniCom sale company to inferior sale the company is business guidance only, the place sells a branch to basically be in charge of to UniCom place branch, nevertheless, according to this kind of mode, the executive power that is afraid that UniCom sells company from above to below again is poor.

[ugg]

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In.

[アグ]

【my-lady.jp】のアグ ブーツはキッズも、レディースも、メンズもよくぴったり新作はいよい よ入荷中...UGG ムートンブーツ,UGG ブーツは通販激安ing…phoenixzon.com

[モンクレール]

rakanet.comモンクレール 新作 2011 登場，当サイトMonclers.jpが激安な価格で男女共に人気のジャケットなどを販売しておりますジャケット通販激安，それに品質もよい、ご来店をお待ちしております

[モンクレール]

rakanet.comモンクレール 新作 2011 登場，当サイトMonclers.jpが激安な価格で男女共に人気のジャケットなどを販売しておりますジャケット通販激安，それに品質もよい、ご来店をお待ちしております

[moncler]

モンクレール通販の専門店モンクレール販売店です。品質が完璧、値段が激安、いろんなサイズが揃って、最も多様な選択空間を提供いたしており、お客様に気楽なショッピングを享受させるだけでなく、より美しく暖かい冬を過ごせます。Monclermaya.jp

[モンクレール ダウン]

楽しめる！Monclerxx.comは最新UGG、クリスチャンルブタン、モンクレール等を通販専門サイトです．豊富な品揃え格安価格で販売しています．

[アグブーツ]

ugg Australia2011最新作、最高品質、激安のUGGブーツ販売店舗です。50％ 割り引きしました。主なレディースuggクラシックアグブーツを販売しています。UGGブーツは冬の必要荷物、私たちはUGG激安、人気なUGGアグブーツを提供するugg正規品店舗。Jpgoodsugg.com

[モンクレール ダウン]

Moncler/モンクレールダウン新作を激安通販中です。モンクレール ダウン等今年秋冬日本未発売の商品が多数販売中.全国送料無料！Monclercit.com

[モンクレール]

モンクレール ダウン 新作 2012 登場,当サイトFashionsmonclers.comが激安な価格で男女共に 人気の ジャケットなどを販売しておりますジャケット通販激安，それに品質もよい、ご 来店を お待ちしております.モンクレール人気激安通販専門サイト!

[モンクレール]

Moncler専門店モンクレール販売店です。moncler(モンクレール)品質が 完璧、値段が激安で提供いたします、より美しく暖かい冬を過ごせます。Moncler-s.com

[アグ]

ugg(アグ)ブーツ専門店UGGブーツ販売店です。ugg、UGGブーツ、アグブーツ品質が 完璧、値段が激安で提供いたします、より美しく暖かい冬を過ごせます。Shineugg.com

[Paul Smith]

Merci beaucoup pour votre article.

[nike heels dunk]

Want to take a man's heart, at first start from the feet.Nike NIke Heels to increase your charm。

[Louis Vuitton Handbags]

I'm employing a totally different browser than most individuals, known as Opera, so that's what might be causing it?

[strapless wedding dresses]

nice post , i like it , thanks for sharing it . have a nice day.

[Games For Young Children]

WOW...

Thats great stuff for all of us...
All of you have great contribution in this way...

[Timberland]

Focus on your strengths. We all have strengths and luckily they are not all the same. Do things you are naturally good at and enjoy and you will build self confidence, efficiency and pride.

[UGG Australia Sale]

they are not all the same. Do things you are naturally good at and enjoy and you will build self confidence, efficiency and pride. i love it very much ! thanks for you !

[Hermes Replicas]

I'm employing a totally different browser than most individuals.

[one shoulder wedding dresses]

thanks for sharing it and please keep doing this good job .

[Dunk Heels]

I really enjoyed this post, especially the examples in this post” portion which made it really easy for me to SEE what you were talking about without even having to leave the article. Thanks~

[Air Max 2012]

Such a nice post this is! Thanks for your sharing with us~!

[wedding dresses plus size]

I am so happy to read your post , I like it and thanks for sharing it .

[christian louboutin]

It is a good post , I like it and please keep writing .