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.

There seemed little hope of agreement on issues host President Cyril Ramaphosa sees as core: inadequate climate finance from rich nations, reform of a financial system that penalises poor countries an

South Africa sought to salvage international talks on tackling global poverty on Wednesday as finance chiefs of several leading economies skipped a gathering of Group of 20 nations in Cape Town held against a backdrop of foreign aid cuts.