Leaders at this year’s G20 summit in South Africa sounded the alarm that the group’s relevance and effectiveness were at grave risk in the face of escalating geopolitical conflicts and a world order that is dramatically shifting.

Founded in the late 1990s in part by former prime minister Paul Martin, the Group of 20 has met every year since 2008 with a focus on international economic and financial stability.

It’s supposed to be the pinnacle of multilateralism: the idea that nations can co-operate, compromise and co-ordinate for the greater good.

But a lot has changed in the past two decades.

Carney said that as the global economy shifts, there will be opportunities for new roles to be filled by countries like Canada. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

“We are struggling to resolve

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