UN-FATIGUE OR THE RISE OF MULTILATERALISM? FROM DELHI WITH LOVE: I’m just back from the G20 summit in New Delhi where India wrapped up its year at the helm of the international forum last weekend. Key takeaway? The rise of an increasingly confident tier of non-Western and developing countries that are playing a more assertive role in global diplomacy. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and South Africa have been flexing their diplomatic muscles when it comes to acting as power brokers in the war in Ukraine — a move welcomed by Kyiv. Crucially, the West is quietly playing along. COOPERATION AT WHAT COST: The G20 leaders signed off on a summit declaration on Ukraine, but omitted direct criticism of Russia for invading its neighbor. Essentially, the G7 and Western leaders opted to give Moscow a free pass in an attempt to save the G20, given the threats to the forum’s future. A big difference at this week’s U.N. gathering: While Ukraine wasn’t invited to the G20, Zelenskky will be the star attraction in New York, making it much more difficult for Kyiv’s allies to go soft on Moscow. THE UN’S LEGITIMACY PROBLEM: As leaders prepare to meet, there’s already lots of chatter about the U.N.’s legitimacy. Of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, only one — the United States — has bothered to send its leader, as POLITICO’s Nahal Toosi reports. (France’s Macron is preparing for a visit by British King Charles and will be welcoming the pope to Marseilles next weekend, while Britain’s Sunak has opted to give UNGA a miss, despite it being his first since taking office — perhaps a sign of domestic worries over poor polling numbers.) BECAUSE IT’S WORTH IT: But despite its flaws, the U.N. still has a significant role to play, says MarÃa Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, former president of the General Assembly. “Regardless of the criticism — and it’s fair criticism — that the U.N. is not doing enough, that it needs urgent reform and rejuvenation, it still is the forum that is most international, that brings together the most leaders. That gives it traction,†she told me as this week’s gathering kicks off. SHIFTING ALLIANCES: Espinosa also points to the changing power dynamics that were evident at last week’s G20 and beyond. “There is an increasing understanding that the world is not a bipolar world anymore. A very vibrant multipolarity is emerging — more a polycentric configuration. It’s sometimes easy to slip into North versus South, East against West. But it’s much more complex than that. You look at the new BRICS configuration, the new members of the G20.†Now, there is a “variable configuration of power going on,†she says, depending on the subject. LATIN AMERICAN VOICE: Espinosa, a former minister of Ecuador, also wants to see a more assertive Latin America. “What I’m seeing is a constructive envy of the power and the voice that the African Union has gained, for example in climate discussions. When it comes to finance and trade, for example, we don’t see this monolithic push from Latin America. There are a lot of internal divisions.†WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK SPEED DATING FOR POLITICOS: UNGA offers world leaders a unique chance to grab one-on-one time with fellow political VIPs. Here are some of the more significant get-togethers that could happen this week on the sidelines. — Meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. — Meeting of foreign ministers of the “Quad†— India, Australia, United States and Japan. — Meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and … anyone, given his persona non grata status with most Western powers. — A G7 foreign ministers’ meeting. — Will Biden show up to the Sustainable Development Goals event as rumored? He’s in town from tonight … — The African Union. After the African Union was admitted into the G20, is Africa having its moment? We’ll be keeping a close eye on the agendas of African leaders this week. — Topic of discussion: Further help for Morocco and Libya. Expect more pledges for aid this week in New York after the devastating earthquakes and floods in North Africa — part of the real-world, humanitarian aspects of the U.N.’s work. Here’s Nahal Toosi on the relationships to watch this week.
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