The work of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors this year will leave a lasting legacy for Africa’s economies. South Africa must ensure it makes the most of hosting this forum and championing the continent’s development agenda.
Africa’s role in world affairs has come into sharp focus during a year marked by fundamental upheaval, intensifying uncertainty and the upending of old assumptions.
Several factors account for this heightened attention: tragic conflicts in Sudan, the DRC and northern Mozambique; worsening climate disasters; and heightened geopolitical tensions that have recast the continent’s alliances.
Equally significant has been the intensifying race to secure the critical minerals that will power low-carbon futures. This is alongside the persistent challenge of rising debt burdens and inadequate access to funding from capital markets needed to finance growth on a continent that will, within a few short years, be home to one in four of the world’s working-age population.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
It is these and many other factors that have made South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 a unique opportunity to intervene in and shape the global agenda. And as 2025 comes to an end with the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg this November, it is worth reflecting on South Africa’s chairing of the finance ministers and central bank governors of the world’s leading economies in the G20 Finance Track.
We have demonstrated our ability to host a successful series of meetings and to mediate difficult global…
