Global splinters evident at G20 finance ministers meeting

Delegates watch South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing them at the G20 finance ministers meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, Feb. 26, 2025.

The Group of 20 major economies has been instrumental in coordinating the response to crises like the COVID pandemic. But top officials from the U.S. and several other member states skipped the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in South Africa this week, raising questions about the group's continued relevance in a splintered global environment.