Jakarta. Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has sounded the alarm over the G20 group, whose members are drifting apart amid great power competition and the raging Iran war.

The G20 is home to major economies that make up 85% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). The world’s richest-nations-cum-rivals China and the US are in the same group. Indonesia is the only G20 member in Southeast Asia, and has repeatedly painted itself as a “bridge builder”.

Yudhoyono, popularly known by his initials SBY, pointed out the widening cracks within the group, which made it even more challenging for the multi-trillion club to address today’s crises, including the Iran war.

“G20 was united in the past. Its members were close to each other. Even then, it was not easy for the group [in resolving crises],” SBY told a mentorship conference hosted by his ex-US ambassador Dino Patti Djalal on Tuesday evening.

“Let alone now. We can no longer see the warmth and closeness between the G20 leaders. That’s why we urge the revival of multilateralism, the UN, and the G20.”

He went on to say: “ We must not be a nation that is controlled by a bunch of great leaders and strong men. It’s unfair and bad. Everyone must be on board to prevent the world from getting worse.”

The severe economic pain of the Iran war — fueled by US-Israeli strikes in late February — is looming over the world. Islamabad is now trying to arrange a date for another round of US-Iran negotiations before the current fragile truce ends on April 22. SBY is keeping his fingers crossed for the meeting, while saying that “a deal needs compromises from both sides”. But even if the Islamabad talks were fruitful, the recovery would not be instant.

“We still need months to stabilize the global economy, even if the war ends today. Can you imagine [how much longer it would be] without a deal?” the two-term president said.

SBY led Indonesia from 2004 to 2014. His successor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo helmed the G20 grouping in 2022 before passing the gavel to India. Indonesia’s toughest challenge as chair was keeping the group intact amid the Russo-Ukrainian war. Russia is a G20 member, and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine that year has soured the mood within the European Union-backed grouping. Indonesia, however, managed to bring the then-US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping — who is known for cutting down foreign trips — in the same room. 

The G20 took shape in 1999 in response to the Asian financial crisis, and began hosting annual leaders’ gatherings in 2008. Although frequent leaders’ no-shows have marred the forum.

US President Donald Trump even boycotted the G20 Summit in South Africa over his claims that the country is violently persecuting its Afrikaner white minority. Prabowo, a frequent traveler, sent his veep Gibran Rakabuming Raka to join the Johannesburg conference. Jakarta claimed that Prabowo was busy with domestic affairs, hence the absence. 

The US is assuming the G20’s rotating presidency this year. Despite his tariff salvo, Trump has set removal of regulatory barriers as one of Washington’s economic focuses as the group’s chair.