Prime Minister Scott Morrison awkward G20 photo shoot

While world leaders were chatting away at a summit on the weekend, Scott Morrison struggled to find someone to shake hands with.

Scott Morrison may have met a lot of world leaders during the G20 summit, but he seemed to struggle to find a hand to shake during the annual group photo.

The Channel 7 video shows the Prime Minister milling around prior to a summit group photo.

Mr Morrison was in Italy for the annual G20 meeting of the leaders of the world’s 20 most developed nations. Although several leaders – including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping – did not turn up.

The G20 meeting was held prior to the United Nations’ COP26 climate change summit being held in the UK in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

The G20 leaders committed to the key goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C and pledged action on the use of coal, but fell short on a target of zero emissions, according to a final draft communique.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the G20 Summit in Rome on the weekend. Picture: Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Looking for someone to shake hands with

The Rome summit wrapped up with a group snap, an occasion which also gives leaders the chance to show off their bonhomie with one another in front of the world’s press.

US President Joe Biden could be seen warmly chatting away to French President Emmanuel Macron. That’s despite the falling out the pair had over the AUKUS pact which led Australia to ditch plans to buy French submarines in favour of American technology.

But Mr Morrison appeared to be searching for someone to shake hands with.

In one instance on the Channel 7 footage, he patted Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda on the back but his target talked to someone else.

Mr Kagame is not a G20 world leader but an invited guest.

Scott Morrison before the G20 photo shoot. Pictures: Channel 7

He tries to strike up some other conversations but seemingly to no avail. Pictures: Channel 7

He eventually just took his place for the photo. Pictures: Channel 7

Looking for his spot to stand for the photo he nears former Australian finance minister and now OECD chairman Mathias Cormann, who appears to put his hands behind his back as the PM approaches.

He also passes European Council president and former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who he appears to have a brief conversation with.

Other footage of the event does show the PM getting one handshake - from Bulgarian Kristalina Georgieva, who serves as the chair and managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

While Mr Morrison may not have said much at the photo shoot, he certainly did meet various leaders during the summit itself.

He caught up with Mr Biden, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, India’s Narendra Modi, Britain’s Boris Johnson, outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mr Michel.

The PM was snapped having coffee with France’s Mr Macron. It all looked cordial, but the row over the ditched submarines shows no signs of abating.

Following that meeting, the French President was asked whether he thought the PM had lied to him about the submarine contract.

“I don’t think, I know,” said Mr Macron.

“I have a lot of respect for your country, a lot of respect and friendship for your people. I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line and consistent with this value,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and French President Emmanuel Macron talk before the G20 leaders make a short visit to the Fontana di Trevi. Picture: Adam Taylor

Mr Morrison later pushed back against the criticism telling reporters that it was “not true” that he had lied to the French leader.

“These decisions are difficult.

“Of course, it has caused disappointment and it has caused an impact on the relationship with France. But I’m not going to put that interest higher than Australia’s national interest”.

Scott Morrison and Canada’s Justin Trudeau at the G20. Picture: Adam Taylor

The PM and European Council President Charles Michel. Picture: Adam Taylor

The G20 leaders have now headed north from Rome to Glasgow for the COP26 summit which kicked off on Sunday.

Boris Johnson, the host of the Glasgow climate summit, said the pledge from G20 leaders after two days of talks in Rome was “not enough”, and warned of the dire consequences for the planet.

“If Glasgow fails, the whole thing fails,” he told reporters, saying the G20 commitments were “drops in a rapidly warming ocean”.

UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he left Rome “with my hopes unfulfilled — but at least they are not buried”.

Monday and Tuesday will be two of the biggest days of the two-week conference.

The World Leaders Summit will see scores of presidents and prime ministers meet face-to-face in Glasgow, many for the first time since the pandemic.

But again, neither the Russian or Chinese leaders will be in attendance. That’s despite both countries being some of the world’s largest polluters.

Mr Morrison could face more awkward encounters in the UK.

While Australia now has a goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050, it has been criticised for not being clear on how that aim will be reached and for relying too heavily on new technologies that have yet to be proven.

– with AFP

Originally published as Prime Minister Scott Morrison awkward G20 photo shoot