Welcome to CFR’s Daily News Brief. Today we’re covering the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in South Africa, as well as...
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South Africa will become the first African country to host the G20 summit this weekend, though the United States says it will only attend a symbolic closing event. The summit will provide a snapshot of the state of multilateralism with a muted U.S. role during the Trump administration. While some other world leaders are skipping the summit, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, China is sending a high-level delegation. The EU, meanwhile, is doubling down on ties with African countries in events before and after the summit. The official G20 summit agenda is focused on the transition to clean energy, helping countries address debt burdens, and extreme weather events. Washington is set to host the G20 next year, and U.S. officials have suggested they will slim down the agenda.
The U.S.-South Africa tensions. After Trump vowed earlier this month that no U.S. official would attend the G20, the White House press secretary said yesterday that acting U.S. ambassador to South Africa Marc D. Dillard would attend a closing ceremony but not participate in official talks. Bilateral tensions have simmered for months, with Trump citing false allegations of “white genocide” to justify his summit boycott. South Africa said it plans to push forward with a consensus declaration at the end of the summit regardless of the level of U.S. participation.
EU-Africa relations. While the U.S. draws back, the EU is seeking to tighten relations with South Africa. On Wednesday, Brussels and Pretoria announced a pledge to jointly develop sustainable minerals projects; the EU plans to create a European critical minerals stockpile as Washington also pushes to secure critical minerals globally. The deal follows an EU investment package of more than $13 billion in South African green technology and infrastructure that was announced last month. Next week, EU officials will attend a two-day EU-African Union summit in Angola focused on trade, multilateralism, and security. “Africa is a strategic partner in our multipolar world,” European Council President António Costa said in Johannesburg today.
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“Caught between Trump’s unilateralism and misgivings about China, Western middle powers are beginning to explore new, flexible partnerships with rising middle powers in the developing world, part of a broader trend toward an international system defined by ‘multi-alignment,’ in which countries pursue maximum flexibility in their diplomatic, economic, and security relationships rather than align consistently with particular great powers or blocs.”
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To meet growing energy demands while averting climate change, the world must accelerate innovation, argue David M. Hart, Colin Cunliff, Mia Beams, and Akkshath Subrahmanian. Their new report finds that European nations are the leading contributors to global energy innovation. The United States ranks 13th. Read more and see the full rankings.
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Zelenskyy reviews peace plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready for “clear and honest work” with the United States regarding Trump’s plan to end the war. He did not comment on the contents of a recent U.S. proposal, which the White House press secretary said yesterday was prepared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. The proposal calls for sweeping territorial and security concessions by Ukraine, while a separate U.S. document seen by the Wall Street Journal describes ten-year U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine that stop short of direct military assistance.
Iran-IAEA tensions. Iran said it would stop allowing the International Nuclear Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect some of its nuclear sites yesterday, following the passage of an IAEA resolution demanding Iran provide exact information about nuclear sites “without delay.” Iran had warned that the resolution would negatively affect cooperation; it had granted the agency only partial inspection authority following U.S. and Israeli attacks on its facilities in June.
Nuclear plant in Japan. Japanese officials have greenlit the reopening of the world’s largest nuclear plant—the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant in central Japan. It was shut down in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, but Japan has slowly reembraced nuclear power in recent years as it prioritizes energy independence, especially from suppliers such as Russia.
EU-UK talks on defense fund. The EU reduced the amount the UK must contribute in order to join a new European loan guarantee program for arms procurement, the Financial Times reported. The reduction—from around $7.7 billion to $2.3 billion—still leaves the asking amount above the around $86 million the UK has offered. EU countries have been divided on whether to push for a higher monetary contribution or to compromise in order to show unity against Russia.
India’s labor law overhaul. India’s government issued four new legal codes changing how labor is regulated in the country, saying the update takes into account workforce changes such as the increase in gig work. The new codes aim to establish a national wage floor, mandate free annual health checks for workers over the age of forty, and ensure equal pay for women, among other measures.
U.S. war game on Venezuela. U.S. officials conducted an exercise during Trump’s first term simulating what would happen if Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was deposed, the New York Times reported. It forecast a violent period in which rival political factions and guerilla groups fought for control of the country. Asked for comment, an unnamed Trump administration official said the administration “is well aware of all outcomes that would occur as a result of any actions that may or may not happen.” Maduro has said he believes the U.S. military buildup in Latin America aims to oust him.
Brazil’s tariff relief. The White House announced yesterday it is removing 40 percent tariffs imposed earlier this year on Brazilian products including beef, oranges, and coffee due to progress in bilateral negotiations. The tariffs on Brazilian goods had remained in place despite Trump’s widespread food tariff relief last week. Trump had levied Brazil’s 40 percent tariffs separately from other so-called Liberation Day tariffs, in response to Brazil’s prosecution of its former president, among other measures.
COP30 fire. A fire in the venue where UN climate talks were taking place yesterday prompted an evacuation just as delegates were nearing their final stage of negotiations. Thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation after the incident, which authorities are investigating. The talks are due to conclude today; in past years they have often run into overtime.
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Will U.S. efforts to deny China advanced semiconductor chips sustain the U.S. lead in artificial intelligence or unintentionally accelerate Chinese innovation? CFR expert Chris McGuire explores the issue on this episode of The President’s Inbox. |
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Despite the evolution of threats facing the United States, a culture of overclassification of intelligence results in the routine failure to share vital information at speed and scale. Carter Burwell, Ezra Cohen, Jennifer E. Sims, and Michael D. Thomas discussed at this CFR meeting.
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