Ramaphosa Launches South Africa’s G20 Presidency with Focus on African, Global South Development

President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Tuesday, officially launched South Africa’s G20 presidency in Parliament marking a historic moment as the first African nation to lead the global economic forum.

The presidency, under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” aims to tackle pressing global challenges, including poverty, inequality, and climate change, while advancing the African development agenda and the interests of the Global South.

“South Africa will seek to harness global commitment and capabilities to confront the challenges that the world faces. We all seek to achieve more rapid, more inclusive and economic growth – that is what informs what we need to do as the G20 countries,” said Ramaphosa.

He went on to say, “We will use this moment to bring development priorities of the African continent and more broadly the global south more firmly on the agenda of the G20.”

Ramaphosa then highlighted disparities between wealth and development, as he said, “The disparities between wealth and development between these countries, we all know, are unjust, unsustainable and undesirable. By promoting equality we will want the G20 to strive to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunities for all individuals and all nations in the world, we aim to break down the divisions of economic status, the divisions on gender, race, geography and any other characteristics that divide people.”

South Africa, succeeding Brazil and other developing nations like India and Indonesia, will use its presidency to focus on achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2030. The agenda will include addressing conflicts, driving action on climate change, and promoting sustainable development.

In a gesture of diplomacy, Ramaphosa extended an invitation to US-Elect President Donald Trump to visit South Africa and attend the G20 summit, as the United States will assume the presidency next year.

“I invited him (Trump) to come to South Africa to come on a state visit as well as when he comes to attend the G20, and obviously, work will ensue seeing how best that can be achieved. But we do expect him to attend as America. The United States is the next president of the G20, so I look forward to handing over the gavel to President Trump,” said Ramaphosa.

South Africa will host approximately 130 meetings during its presidency, offering a platform to strengthen international economic cooperation while amplifying Africa’s voice in shaping the global agenda.

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