South Africa's (South Africa's) G20 presidency has not only raised African voices, but also galvanised global efforts for a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said this as he briefed the media on Monday on South Africa's preparations for the G20 leaders' summit to be held in Johannesburg over the weekend.
„We are not just participants in global affairs. We are committed to shaping them. Our presidency creates the future - it does not perpetuate the practices of the past,“ Lamola said.
From the historic grounds of NASREC - the National Centre for Arts, Sports and Recreational Events - Lamola set the briefing in the wider context of South Africa's democratic journey, describing the venue as „living proof of South Africa's journey of transformation and resilience“.
He stressed NASREC's symbolic role as a bridge during the apartheid era and its current importance. „This facility remains a symbol of our commitment to bridging the spatial and economic divides of the past,“ Lamola said, recalling its proximity to important sites such as the Apartheid Museum, Vilakazi Street and Soccer City Stadium.
A historic moment for Africa and the Global South
Lamola described the South African G20 presidency - the first ever on African soil - as a defining moment for the continent and the wider global South.
„Our presidency is a call to action as the last country of the Global South to hold the presidency in this cycle. It is a call to bridge the development gap between North and South, to promote equity, sustainability and shared prosperity,“ He said.
According to the minister, 130 of the 133 official G20 meetings have already taken place. The Sherpa meeting, the social summit and the leaders' summit are intended to complete what he called „the “transformation path" for South Africa and its partners.
Referring to African values, he said that Ubuntu reminds us of: „I am because we are.“ A timeless truth that resonates with the Agenda 2030 commitment and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The minister painted a picture of a country regaining stability.
„The winds of change are no longer on the horizon - they are here,“ he said.
He identified the stabilisation of the power sector and logistics as key milestones, commending the leadership of the Ministry of Electricity, the Eskom board and its CEO for ending the blackouts.
„Together they have steered the country into a new era of energy security. This progress is not in isolation - it is part of a broader wave of reforms that, through Operation Vulindlela, are gradually unlocking South Africa's economic potential across sectors.“
Operation Vulindlela, he says, is behind structural reforms, the fall in unemployment, South Africa's removal from the FATF grey list and the recent credit rating upgrade by S&P Global Ratings (14 November).
He described the rating as an important signal of renewed confidence, as it lowers the cost of borrowing, broadens the pool of investors and confirms confidence in the country's reform trajectory.
G20 priorities and global leadership
Lamola presented the four main priorities underpinning the South African Presidency:
- strengthening disaster resilience
- ensuring debt sustainability
- Mobilising finance for a just energy transition
- harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth
The Presidency also established working groups on inclusive growth, food security and artificial intelligence (AI).
South Africa played a key role in coordinating the G20@20 review, which brought together global perspectives in a highly technical report to be presented at the Summit.
Following the admission of the African Union (AU) into the G20 in 2023, South Africa has worked closely with the AU to ensure that African development priorities are firmly rooted in the structure of global economic governance.
The Minister pointed out that Africa was still recovering from the world order, „who preferred division to unity, inequality to relief, and plunder to protection“.
Key results include:
- the very successful G20 High Level Dialogue in Addis Ababa on debt sustainability and the cost of capital;
- the establishment of an expert panel on Africa, led by Trevor Manuel, which recently submitted its report to President Ramaphosa;
- A renewed and expanded Compact with Africa in line with Agenda 2063;
- Side meetings on food security in Cairo and industrialisation in Abuja;
- and strong advocacy for reform of the international financial architecture to benefit developing economies.
Legacy of the Presidency
Lamola announced several initiatives that have come out of the Presidency, including:
- of the AI for Africa initiative,
- Technology Programme for Policy Support,
- G20 Clean Cooking Legacy,
- African Energy Efficiency Programme,
- principles to combat illicit financial flows,
- Ubuntu Approaches concept for food security and food price volatility,
- and the G20 Agenda for Trade and Investment Cooperation in Africa.
He also drew attention to the publication of the report of the G20 Ad Hoc Committee on Global Inequality, which recommends the creation of a permanent international panel on inequality, along the lines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The Rising Country
Despite persistent challenges such as crime, corruption and unemployment, Lamola says South Africans have shown resilience.
„We have proven that we are a resilient nation. At the end of our historic G20 presidency, the first on African soil, we stand with pride and determination,“ said the minister.
He also recalled the successes of South African sport - from the Springboks to Bafana Bafana's qualification for the World Cup - as further signs of the nation's rise.
„The list of positives is endless, the sky is the limit,“ He said.
South Africa prepares to hand over G20 to the United States amid uncertainty over participation
Lamola said South Africa was ready for the handover ceremony of the G20 presidency to the United States, although the process may need to be adjusted due to their absence.
The announcement follows US President Donald Trump's earlier statement that no US government representatives would attend the summit.
„We are ready to hand over to the United States, but... the handover is really just ceremonial. If they don't come, we will simply issue a declaration and the US will decide how to proceed next year. It is important that the declaration be accepted by the countries that are present, because the institution cannot be blocked by the absence of one member.“
With the upcoming G20 Leaders' Summit, South Africa stands not only as host, but as a global unifier of solidarity, reform and shared prosperity.
The Summit will take place on 22-23 November 2025.
SAnews.gov.za
Thediplomaticsociety/gnews.cz - GH
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