South Africa will assume the presidency of the G20 in 2025, which is a pivotal moment in the African country's international diplomatic efforts, the United Nations (UN) says.
The Group of Twenty (G20) is an intergovernmental economic forum comprising 19 countries and two regional unions—the European Union (EU) and recently the African Union (AU).
The UN, in their statement on Monday, said South Africa’s leadership of the group “presents a unique opportunity to shape global policies and advocate for Africa's interests on the world stage.”
The G20 represents 85 percent of the global economy, 75 percent of world trade, and 67 percent of the global population, the UN says.
'Fostering solidarity'
The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Türkiye, UK, US, as well as the EU and AU.
Mr. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane, said the theme for South Africa's presidency will be "fostering solidarity, equality, and sustainable development."
Phiri added South Africa will seek to “address critical global challenges, with a strong focus on Africa’s development.”
“South Africa’s presidency is poised to have significant implications for the broader African region, particularly within the SADC. The nation’s strategic position within the G20 will enable it to lobby for policy gains that benefit South Africa, the SADC, and the entire continent,” said Phiri.
'The Africa We Want'
The UN added that the key areas South Africa’s presidency will focus on include addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality, which aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, ‘The Africa We Want.’
Professor Danny Bradlow, a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria, told the UN South Africa’s priorities should include addressing debt and development financing, particularly for Africa.
“This presidency provides an opportunity to address some longstanding bottlenecks facing regional integration in Africa. For instance, one of the key challenges faced by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are bilateral trade agreements that undermine Africa’s regional integration efforts,” said Prof. Bradlow.
The UN emphasised that South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025 is a pivotal moment for the nation and the continent.
“It is a “historic opportunity to reshape global governance in a way that reflects the aspirations and challenges of the Global South,” the UN statement emphasised.
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