South Africa has presented an ambitious vision for its upcoming G20 presidency focused on solidarity, equality, and sustainability as the nation prepares to assume leadership of the influential economic forum from December 2024 through November 2025.
Addressing an informal United Nations General Assembly plenary in New York, South African G20 Sherpa Zane Dangor outlined a comprehensive agenda centered on equitable development and inclusive growth. “Through solidarity, we seek to achieve a future that is people-centered, development-oriented, and inclusive,” Dangor stated, emphasizing the interconnected nature of global challenges.
The South African presidency intends to prioritize fairness across economic, gender, racial, and geographic dimensions while developing sustainable policies balancing present needs with future generations’ welfare. Specific initiatives include strengthening disaster resilience, ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries, and addressing disproportionately high capital costs that impede developing nations’ growth potential.
Climate action figures prominently in South Africa’s agenda, with plans to leverage the Just Energy Transition Partnership framework and harness critical minerals for sustainable development. Dangor welcomed the African Union’s recent inclusion in the G20, describing it as a crucial opportunity to amplify African voices in global economic governance.
General Assembly President Philemon Yang reinforced the G20’s vital role in addressing global inequities, highlighting its potential contribution to implementing the recently adopted Pact of the Future. UN Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua similarly emphasized the G20’s pivotal position in maintaining climate commitments ahead of COP30.
The G20, representing 85 percent of the global economy, 75 percent of world trade, and two-thirds of the global population, faces mounting expectations under South African leadership to deliver meaningful progress on inclusive growth and sustainable development frameworks.