Issues as Johannesburg hosts Africa’s maiden G20 Summit
By Hammeed M. Bello, PhD
The 2025 annual summit of the 20 world’s largest economies (G20) is holding in Johannesburg, South Africa this weekend, and the largest economy in the world, the United States, is boycotting it, accusing South Africa of implementing local policies that allegedly undermine white farmers in South Africa.
While South Africa is making history by being the first African country to host the G20 summit, believed to be an opportunity for Africa to play an active role in the strategic economic and geopolitical dynamics of the world, the United States President, Donald Trump has picked issues with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, and will not attend the summit.
Reports are rife that the United States has already announced its decision to not participate in the multilateral event and warned South Africa against pushing for a joint statement.
“Boycott politics never work,” Ramaphosa reportedly said in response. “If you boycott an event or a process, you lose because the show will go on.”
The original plan is that all the G20 members were notionally expected to attend the summit, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom and United States. In addition, two regional bodies – the European Union and the African Union (admitted as of 2023) were also to attend. The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. It was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.
India had held the Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, and the Group was upgraded to the level of Heads of State/Government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009, it was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”. South Africa assumed the presidency from 1 December 2024 to November 2025.
The G20 Summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating Presidency. The Group initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues, but it has since expanded its agenda to, among other things, include trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption.
India put forth a proposal for the African Union to attain permanent membership status within the G-20, a proposal that received unanimous support from all participating nations. Hence, the African Union was accepted as a permanent member of the G20.
As the 2025 summit holds in South Africa this weekend, it is expected that African representatives, particularly South Africa and the African union will advance a strategic African voice that will give the continent comparative advantage in trade relations and macro-economic engineering processes with other member countries. The voice of Africa is integral to the broader bloc voice that will build Global South consensus on global governance and global economics at the bilateral and multilateral levels.
As outlined by the Xinhua News Agency, the G20) Leaders’ Summit will convene over the weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa, the first ever to be held on African soil.
Under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” the summit highlights the moment for Africa as it seeks to amplify its voice in global governance and advance development priorities shared by the Global South.
As detailed by Xinhua, observers say the event reflects Africa’s rising influence and the international community’s expectation that China and other Global South members will help build consensus on multilateralism and inclusive development.
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The African Union’s entry into the G20 in 2023 was celebrated across the continent as an “African moment.” Now, with the G20 Summit coming to Africa for the first time, analysts say it signals a historic shift: African countries are moving from passive participants to active contributors in shaping global agendas.
Alvin Botes, deputy minister of international relations and cooperation of South Africa, is noted to have said: “We are now working hand-in-hand with the African Union to amplify Africa’s voice in global economic governance, whilst ensuring that the development priorities of the African Continent and the Global South find expression firmly onto the agenda of the G20.”
Since assuming the G20 presidency last year, South Africa has sought to orient the summit toward advancing the development agenda of the Global South, especially African countries and identified four priorities, namely strengthening disaster resilience and response, taking action to ensure debt sustainability for low-income countries, mobilizing finance for a just energy transition, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
Momar Diongue, director general of Senegalese News Agency, is also cited to have said: “The fact that the G20 is being held for the first time on the African continent is highly symbolic but also strategic: it places our economic priorities at the heart of global discussions.”
He added that thanks to regional integration, “Africa is becoming a driving force in making proposals.”
Peter Kagwanja, chief executive officer of Africa Policy Institute, a think tank in Kenya, similarly said: “the growing participation by Africa in global decision-making processes marks a significant transformation in the international system, where countries in the Global South who were once marginalized and excluded from key discussions such as those focusing on financial reforms, debt sustainability and climate change, are now asserting their voice and influence boldly, and fully participate in solving those challenges.”
Impacts for the South-South:
The South-South is a cooperation among countries in the Global South which focuses on sharing knowledge, technologies, and best practices to promote development, with an emphasis on finding solutions that are adapted to local conditions.
It is viewed as a way for developing nations to collaborate without the political and economic overtones sometimes associated with traditional North-South aid. In the face of rapid changes unseen in a century, sluggish global economic growth and a widening development deficit, African countries are grappling with climate shocks, mounting debt and other pressures. African experts said the Johannesburg summit will help promote cooperation, support Africa’s development and offer an “African perspective” on tackling global challenges.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is noted to have viewed this year’s summit as an opportunity to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda.
“We expect the summit to make a political commitment to address debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries,” he said, adding that he expected the consensus reached at the event to include “a commitment to further strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatment in a predictable, timely and coordinated manner.”
Lemmy Nyongesa Mulaku, a lecturer of international studies at the University of Nairobi, reportedly said: “The G20 summit on the continent provides an opportunity to start genuine reforms aimed at re-balancing these relations through reform of global governance institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and WTO.”
“The G20 summit provides an opportunity for a stronger partnership between China, Africa and other G20 members to not only push climate adaptation solutions ahead, but to entrench them into global governance institutions and structures,” he said.
Observers were cited to have said that Africa has made significant progress in green transition and the digital economy. And according to David Mugisha Begumya, a professor with International University of East Africa in Uganda, Africa holds enormous potential in addressing global climate challenges, making it a growing provider of green solutions.
Global Governance Reforms:
At a time when global governance reform stands at a crossroads, making sure that developing countries equally take part in major global governance decision-making is key to just and effective governance.
China has been “the greatest and fundamental supporter” of promoting a more just and equitable international order, said Yarbane Kharrachi, adviser to the minister of higher education and scientific research in Mauritania, pointing to Beijing’s early backing of the African Union’s accession to the G20.
African analysts observe that this once again underscores the urgency of global governance reform. South Africa’s firm stance, they say, reflects the determination of Global South countries to push for a fairer global governance system and replace unilateral dominance with multilateral cooperation.
China brings its distinct cultural and intellectual capital to the table, offering alternative perspectives on global governance and development, said David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg.
“This approach embodies the principle that all civilizations are equal, a principle that should guide Africa and other Global South countries in collaboratively shaping development and governance agendas,” he said.
Of note is the Global Governance Initiative being promoted by President Xi Jinping of China to make the world more peaceful and more prosperous on the basis of mutual cooperation and shared values. Xi’s initiative is understood against the backdrop of mutual respect and non-interference in the local affairs of individual countries.
As the G20 Summit holds for the first time in Africa, the outcome should deepen more multilateralism, free trade and increased adherence to the rule of law. Humanity and indeed the global community deserves to live more in peace and prosperity, in harmony and mutual respect.
Dr Bello wrote in from Abuja, Nigeria. He is reachable via: [email protected]
