JOHANNESBURG – The historic 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit opened on Saturday at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking the first time the forum has convened on African soil. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a stirring opening address, emphasizing the theme of “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability” as delegates from 42 countries and organizations gathered for two days of intensive discussions on pressing global issues.
In a plenary session attended by leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ramaphosa highlighted South Africa’s role in expanding the G20’s agenda from macroeconomic stability to broader challenges like debt relief, climate finance, and inclusive growth.
South Africa assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, succeeding Brazil, and has hosted approximately 130 meetings throughout the year to build consensus on its priorities. Ramaphosa noted that the forum, established in 1999 amid the Asian financial crisis, now represents 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population through its 19 member countries, the European Union, and the African Union.
“This summit has a responsibility not to allow the integrity and credibility of the G20 to be weakened. In fact, from this summit, we should have a sense that the G20 has been strengthened,” Ramaphosa declared, underscoring the interconnected nature of global challenges.
The address came against the backdrop of a notable absence: the United States, the world’s largest economy, has boycotted the event. President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that no American officials would attend, citing alleged “human rights abuses” against white Afrikaner farmers, including claims of land confiscation and violence — assertions repeatedly rejected by South African authorities and even some Afrikaner groups. In response, Ramaphosa affirmed that the event would proceed undiminished, stating, “We should not allow anything to diminish the value, the stature, and the impact of the first African G20 presidency.”
Despite the gaps, Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola reported strong participation, with 20 G20 members (excluding the US), 16 guest countries, and representatives from six regional economic communities confirmed. Attendees include Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The European Union is represented by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Russia’s Vladimir Putin is absent due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, sending a deputy instead.
In his keynote, Ramaphosa elaborated on South Africa’s vision, rooted in the presidency’s theme. “Solidarity is key to creating an inclusive future for those most at risk,” he said, warning that in an interconnected world, one nation’s crises — be it pandemics, conflicts, or economic shocks — inevitably spill over. He stressed equality as essential for fair opportunities, decrying persistent disparities in wealth, gender, race, and geography as “unjust, unsustainable, and a major obstacle to global progress.” As a founding G20 member, South Africa has championed embedding African and Global South priorities into the agenda, arguing this fosters stability, attracts investment, and mitigates risks like migration and conflict.
Sustainability, Ramaphosa added, demands urgent action on climate adaptation and clean energy transitions, particularly for vulnerable nations. The summit agenda reflects four high-level priorities: bolstering disaster resilience for recovery-burdened countries; ensuring debt sustainability for low-income states; mobilizing finance for equitable energy shifts; and leveraging critical minerals for inclusive growth via local processing. These align with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with only five years remaining until its deadline. Discussions will also cover food security, artificial intelligence governance, and WTO reforms to enhance trade equity.
A breakthrough came early: leaders adopted a draft declaration at the summit’s outset, bypassing traditional end-of-meeting negotiations and excluding US input — a move Ramaphosa hailed as “overwhelming consensus.” The document prioritizes climate justice, debt restructuring, and green financing for the Global South. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, attending to advocate for economic and climate action, praised South Africa’s efforts: “South Africa has done its part in putting those things clearly upon the table.” Chinese Premier Li Qiang echoed calls for multilateralism, lamenting “unilateralism and protectionism” amid global solidarity doubts.
The US boycott has strained bilateral ties, already tense over foreign policy divergences like Pretoria’s ICJ case against Israel and domestic affirmative action policies. Trump has prioritized Afrikaner refugee admissions while capping overall US refugee intake — a policy criticized as racially motivated. Progressive Afrikaner groups have countered the persecution narrative with public campaigns urging unity.
Security is robust, with over 3,500 officers deployed around the venue, amid minor protests from civil society demanding faster fossil fuel phase-outs. Side events, including the B20 business summit and Social Summit, fed into the agenda, producing declarations on inequality and climate justice.
As bilateral meetings unfold — Modi announced a trilateral tech pact with Australia and Canada on the sidelines — observers see the summit as a litmus test for multilateralism. Ramaphosa envisions handing over to an “empty chair” for the 2026 US-hosted event, symbolizing continuity despite divisions. With the declaration’s adoption, the focus shifts to actionable outcomes: $100 billion in annual climate finance pledges, debt relief mechanisms, and mineral supply chain reforms to benefit Africa.
As Day 1 closed, optimism prevailed. Lamola called the turnout a “success,” with consensus on key deliverables. Ramaphosa’s closing words: “By breaking down divisions, we build a world where prosperity is shared.” Sunday’s sessions promise deeper dives into AI ethics and trade resilience, setting the stage for a legacy-defining handover. This G20, born of crisis, reaffirms its role in forging solutions — or risks irrelevance in a polarized era.
