Key issues in Hamburg

The 2017 G-20 summit in Hamburg ended recently without any major results. The G-20 leaders mainly reaffirmed their commitment to strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.

The meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, held on the sidelines of the summit, stole the spotlight, since it was the first such encounter between the two leaders.

The ceasefire agreed upon by the US, Russia and Jordan for southern Syria was ironed out during the Trump-Putin meeting.

The deal was hailed by the G-20 summit participants as a long awaited breakthrough that could be the harbinger of a wider truce in the war-torn country.

The summit’s main proceedings, however, focused on the G-20’s goals under several headings, with special attention given to renewable energy and climate change.

The G-20 leaders, in their declaration, noted the US decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord but reaffirmed its commitment to it.

There were other important issues agreed upon in Hamburg that may not make headlines but are — nevertheless — important for the international community.

On the agenda of the summit were issues related to economic growth, international trade and financial market regulations, among which was the call for trade deals to be reciprocal and non-discriminatory towards developing countries.

Equally notable was the reference to the empowerment of women in business by calling for affording female entrepreneurs easy access to capital so that they emerge stronger actors in private enterprises.

No less important was the unanimous call for choking all financial resources that feed terror groups, with the G-20 leaders calling for a comprehensive approach to counter terrorism.

Unfortunately, however, there was no reference to major conflicts in the world, including the Palestinian issue.

It was a missed opportunity to express support and commitment to the two-state solution.

As a leading group that sets the tone on global issues, the G-20 has the potential to bring more attention to major issues, in addition to key economic concerns.