Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has made clear that the United States should not overestimate its role in global affairs, as the economic ‘center of gravity’ is shifting away from America. Carney made these remarks during a press conference following the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the U.S. chose not to attend due to ongoing disputes with the country.
The summit, held in South Africa, took place without the participation of the United States, which had decided to boycott due to the controversy over accusations of genocide against white farmers by the country’s president, Donald Trump. Despite the absence of the U.S., the summit proceeded and produced significant outcomes, according to Carney, who emphasized the growing importance of other nations in global economic decisions.
Carney noted that the meeting brought together nations representing three-quarters of the world’s population, two-thirds of global GDP, and three-quarters of the world’s trade, without the United States formally attending, thereby underscoring the shift in the global economic landscape. He also said that Canada is seeking to strengthen ties with a variety of nations, including South Africa, India, and China, as part of its broader strategy to diversify its international engagements.
Russian presidential aide Maksim Oreshkin led the Moscow delegation at the summit and hailed it as a success, adding that his team had had ‘a lot of constructive communications’ with ‘friendly nations’ and even received some proposals on economic cooperation and joint projects from ‘unfriendly’ ones. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also stated that the G20 was moving forward and would not be bullied, adding that the U.S. decision to boycott the meeting was ‘their loss.’