Diana Tussie heads the Department of International Relations at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), and is a member of CIGI's International Board of Governors.

Given that Argentina was not part of the G8 Summit gathering, the view is that of an outsider country. In fact, the G8 Summit received limited attention from the local media. The main focus has been centreed on the efforts of the G5 – especially the Brazilian role – to pledge US$20 billion in farm aid to help poor nations feed themselves. In this context, the daily Clarín (with its permanent correspondent in Italy covering the gathering) clearly highlighted President Lula’s role on the world scene as a trusted interlocutor not only on issues of regional concern but also global ones. Clarin mentioned in this regard Obama`s request to Brazil to dissuade Iran on nuclear arms development.

The wider agenda of the G8+G5 (plus Egypt, Indonesia, Korea and Australia)  Summit did not appear in the media to be directed to broaden the debate nor to do much in terms of enhancing democratic governances. The press stressed the differences between the G8 and the G5 on climate change, and the demand of the former to the latter not to worsen the global economic crisis. On climate change the skepticism (and even antagonism) of the G5 and Egypt on the G8 proposal to target 2050 as the date for achieving the reduction of global warming without limits on emissions was highlighted. The point made by China, India, Brazil and Egypt that the target was not “credible” was given attention, in addition to Russia’s disengagement from the G8 agreement and President Lula`s remark that an intermediate target date in 2020 was necessary. Much was made of the issue that climate is of second order importance after the major problems of poverty and underdevelopment.

Since Argentina was not invited to participate in the summit, the impact of the issues discussed was limited at the domestic level. There may be confusion (or fatigue) in the public eye as to the multiplicity of summits, but this is not specific to this instance, given the plethora of summits already in existence in which Argentina participates (Summits of the Americas, Iberoamerican Summit, EU- Latin America, Rio Group, OAS heads of states, etc.).

The difference between the G8+G5 Summit and the G20 was clearly manifested due to Argentina’s membership in the later fora. One of the most relevant issues approached has been related to the strengthened legitimacy of the G20 as a result of the reaching out of the G8. Over and above that, it seems evident to the public that both foras are independent despite the overlap and the connectivity in trade and financial issues. G14 appears to be less binding on these latter issues, but has the added dimension of security, such as nuclear disarmament and the enlargement of the Security Council which the G20 does not touch upon.

In the way it has been presented, the G8 seems to still be a “blast from the past,” but with a “spark of hope” coming from the invitation of some of the G20 leaders to participate in the summit. The G5+G8 and Egypt doesn’t seem to be the best option for Argentina since it does not have a voice in the fora. At the same time, it allows Brazil a larger international audience, an issue used as a justification to criticize the Kirchner administration’s management of foreign and economic policy.

The summit took place on the week after the mid-term elections hit the Kirchner administration badly, presently overtaken with the results and dealing with cabinet reshuffles. These pressing domestic issues (and the coup in Honduras) have been the main concern of the public with otherwise small room for the L`Aquila Summit.

The coordinated efforts of the G8 have thus received scarce attention beyond the agreement to give the Doha Round of the WTO another chance. The daily Pagina 12 remarked that the European press pointed out that final declaration did not contain much substance. It cynically remarked that the repetition of wishful exhortations was “similar to the 2008 summit, which took place while Wall Street was falling apart.”   

* This article is unedited.