The Group of Twenty (G20) is an international forum established in 1999 to strengthen coordination between the world’s major and emerging economies in response to the Asian financial crisis. As the premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 brings together 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union (as of 2023). Representing approximately 85% of global GDP, 75% of trade, and two thirds of the world’s population, the G20 addresses issues ranging from financial stability and sustainable development to public health and energy security.

The G20 has no charter, headquarters, or permanent staff. The presidency rotates every year, and whichever country holds it has massive influence over setting the summit agenda. While decisions made at G20 summits are not binding, the group is held together by reputational pressure and the economic scale of its members.

As global challenges grow increasingly complex, the G20’s influence depends less on its authority and more on its capacity to sustain consensus.