G20 Summit in Delhi: A historical look at absentees in G20 meetings since 2010

Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Manoj Kumar

The G20 Summit, a pivotal global gathering, has witnessed a consistent pattern of absentees among member countries since 2010. This absence at the head of state/head of government (HOS/HOG) or leaders' level underscores the multifaceted factors influencing leaders' decisions to attend these significant meetings.

What is G20 Summit?

The variability in attendance at the global forum becomes striking when examining specific instances of countries being represented below the leadership level. On six occasions, a single leader from a country was absent (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017), while on five occasions, two leaders chose not to attend (2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019).

Absentees at G20

In the upcoming G20 summit, Russia's President Vladimir Putin will remain absent due to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, and China's President Xi Jinping's attendance has been ruled out, with the country's premier, Li Qiang, leading the delegation. This marks the first time a Chinese leader has missed the G20 leaders' summit since its inception in 2008.

G20 2023 - Russia,
China, Mexico

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The 2022 Bali Summit witnessed the absence of leaders from three nations, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia. This absence was particularly overshadowed due to the Ukraine conflict. Significantly, this summit marked a departure from tradition as the customary "leaders' family photo" was missing. Western leaders exhibited reluctance to share the frame with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

G20 2022 - Brazil,
Mexico, and Russia

In the 2021 Rome Summit, a record-breaking six leaders opted not to attend the G20 meeting. This unique occurrence unfolded as the world grappled with the Covid pandemic, leading leaders to prioritise domestic challenges. The absence of leaders from China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa signalled the gravity of global challenges during this period.

G20 2021 - China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's decision to skip the 2019 G20 summit marked a significant absence. During his daily press conference, Lopez Obrador said he will send a "modest" suggestion to the G20 summit to analyse the issue of inequality in international forums like G20. Since then, no Mexican leader has attended any of the G20 meetings.

G20 2019 - Mexico

Apart from these instances, the heads of state of Indonesia, France, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia were absent from the G20 summit in 2018, 2015, 2014, and 2010, respectively. These absences were often associated with regional or international developments and priorities, illustrating the interplay between global and national considerations.

Other absentees
of G20 summits

Founded in 1999 following the Asian Financial Crisis, the G20 initially served as a forum for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues. The Head of the States started meeting at the event after the collapse of housing market followed by the financial crisis of 2008. Its members collectively represent approximately 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and around two-thirds of the world's population.

G20's origins

India is set to host the G20 summit on September 9 and 10 in the National Capital. The New Delhi G20 summit is anticipated to witness the "largest participation" in the history of the grouping, with preparations in place to accommodate leaders of member countries and invited guest countries, showcasing India's growing role in global affairs.

G20 in New Delhi

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Members of G20