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Successes of South Africa's G20 Presidency (Highlights)
November 27, 2025
[pdf]
Launch of the G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality, chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz, on 4 December 2025.
One of the key recommendations of the report is the creation of a permanent International Panel on Inequality (IPI) modelled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A number of institutions including the London School of Economics, the Paris School of Economics, the Southern Centre for Inequality at WITS and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have offered to host the IPI. The Human Sciences and Research Council (HSRC) will be invited to participate in this process.
For the first time in the history of the G20, inequality is being addressed not as a peripheral issue, but as a systemic challenge that undermines growth, peace, and stability. The IPI would ensure that inequality continues to be discussed by leaders in the G20 and other fora, serving as a legacy of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
Adoption of the High-Level principles for combatting Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) as key in addressing the debilitating economic and development impact of IFFs on our Continent.
Establishment of the Ubuntu Commission to catalyse a collective rethinking of how the international system understands and delivers GPGs in the 21st century.
Adoption of the Nelson Mandela Bay G20 Youth Target to reduce NEET rates among 15–29 year-olds by a further 5% by 2030, with a special emphasis on supporting disadvantaged youth, including young women, youth with disabilities and other vulnerable groups at risk of exclusion.
Adoption of the Brisbane–EThekwini Goal, which builds on the original ambition by extending the G20’s commitment to reduce gender gaps in the labour force participation by 25% by 2030 from 2012 levels
Adoption of the Ubuntu Principles on Food Security, Nutrition and Price Volatility in the Task Force 2 on Food Security. The policy recommendations stress the need for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems; evidence-based risk planning, including climate-responsive early warning systems; and nutrition-centred approaches that put human well-being at the heart of food systems.
The AI Initiative for Africa, a key deliverable of the G20 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development, was launched in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and UNESCO during the AI for Africa Conference. This initiative aligns with the AU’s Data Policy Framework, Continental AI Strategy, and Agenda 2063. This initiative will inter alia ensure the training of 15000 civil servants and 5000 judicial personnel on the use of AI and the challenges posed by digital transformation. A further 2,000 teachers and students and 30 education policy makers from 15 African countries, will help future generates succeed in a digital world. The launch of a pan-African incubator will support 1,500 researchers in the development of AI. This culminated in the hosting of the AI for Africa Conference, also co-hosted with the AU, and UNESCO under the “Unlocking AI’s Potential for Africa’s Development and Prosperity.”
Establishment of the Technology Policy Assistance Facility (TPAF), in collaboration UNESCO. This TPAF will support policy-makers in G20 countries, as well as in other developing countries, enabling them to create tailor-made roadmaps for the use of AI at the national level, aligned with international standards. The tool covers five key policy areas, ranging from infrastructure to innovation.
Adoption of the G20 Declaration on Air Quality.
Adoption of the G20 Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment
Adoption of the G20 High-Level Principles on Sustainable Industrial Policy for Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Jobs and Equality to advance inclusive and sustainable industrial policies which can play a critical role in strengthening economic resilience, supporting robust growth and creating high-quality jobs in ways that benefit all countries.
Adoption of the G20 Principles for Inclusive Economic Growth, Employment and Reduced Inequality, to ensure that employment is a central objective of economic growth and that good quality jobs and decent work must be at the heart of sustainable industrialisation.
Adoption of the G20 Critical Minerals Framework, which is a blueprint to ensure that critical mineral resources become a driver of prosperity and sustainable development. The Framework is designed to respond to the urgent need for international cooperation to secure sustainable, transparent, stable and resilient critical minerals value chains that underpin industrialisation and sustainable development. Further, it aims to unlock investment in mineral exploration, promote local beneficiation at source, and strengthen governance for sustainable mining practices. It fully preserves the sovereign right of mineral-endowed countries to harness their endowments for inclusive economic growth, while ensuring economic, social and environmental stewardship, conservation, local community participation, and supply security. Critical minerals should become a catalyst for value-addition and broad-based development, rather than just raw material exports.
Launch of the G20 Clean Cooking Legacy Programme, which aims to raise awareness about the advantages of clean cooking solutions, such as modern stoves and fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or electricity-based options. It also focuses on creating skills development opportunities for communities, enabling local manufacturing and maintenance of clean cooking technologies.
Establishment of The Africa Energy Efficiency Facility (AfEEF), a collaboration initiative between the Department of Electricity and Energy, the AU Commission, and the UN Environment Programme, to mobilise US$3 billion over the next few years to combat crippling energy inefficiencies across the continent.
The G20 Open Innovation Platform of Platforms, which is a permanent online platform which links innovation platforms for all G20 members. It is hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Innovation Bridge Portal.
G20 Compendium of Good Practices in STI Policy Initiatives and Instruments, which is a permanent platform to monitor Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility STI Policies of the G20 and UN members.
G20-UNESCO GO-SPIN Platform which is a a portal focused on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies and policy instruments that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, leveraging the existing UNESCO Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (GO-SPIN) platform.
Launch of the G20 Africa Cooperation Agenda (ACA), which builds on Agenda 2063 and is aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), thus providing a practical framework for investment in Africa’s productive sectors, health security, infrastructure, and digital economy. The ACA, jointly housed by the African Union and the African Development Bank, will ensure continuity and African leadership. It represents not just cooperation, but co-ownership.
Endorsement of the High-Level Principles for Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction.
Launch of the G20 High-Level Principles on the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets as a reference for enhancing national efforts towards robust asset recovery measures.
Launch of the Presidency Action Plan to enhance Travel and Tourism Start-ups and MSMEs
The establishment of the Africa Expert Panel (AEP), which comprises of African experts across economic and development fields. The AEP provides strategic advice to the Minister of Finance, highlighting Africa’s policy challenges and priorities, including systemic biases, regulatory barriers, and risk perceptions. The Panel’s Plan for Action, issued in October 2025, calls for a paradigm shift from aid dependence to investment-driven growth anchored in African agency and global partnership. Their work will continue beyond 2025 to support accelerated action for Africa. The Panel is chaired by our former Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel.
The South African G20 Presidency also launched G20 Africa Engagement Framework (AEF), which provides a mechanism for the G20 to support Africa’s economic and financial objectives from 2026 to 2030. It provides a menu of policy options for future G20 Presidencies to choose, at their own discretion, policy pillar/s that they would focus on during their Presidencies. The existing Finance Track Working Groups will take this work forward.
Accelerated implementation of the Common Framework for Debt Treatments, while also championing innovative instruments such as climate-resilient debt clauses. Restructuring agreements concluded this year have already freed fiscal space in several low-income countries — space that is now being directed towards education, health, and climate resilience.
The International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFAWG) devoted extensive attention to Africa, particularly on debt sustainability and the high cost of capital. Key initiatives included: Engagements with African Borrower Countries to discuss debt challenges; preparation of fact sheets on the G20 Common Framework debt treatment cases for Chad, Zambia, and Ghana; Notes on lessons learned and debt restructuring steps under the Common Framework; and enhanced information sharing between the G20 and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. These efforts led to the adoption of a G20 Ministerial Statement on Debt in October 2025, explicitly addressing debt challenges and progress made. A report prepared for the Presidency by the African Development Bank, on bridging the cost of capital divide in Africa, was also instrumental in launching the Africa Engagement Framework.
The Finance Track’s Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) focused on expanding Africa’s national, regional, and intercontinental infrastructure. The African Development Bank developed a Toolkit for Developing Cross-Border Infrastructure Projects, providing practical guidance to policymakers. Building on this, the Presidency launched the Ubuntu Legacy Initiative to accelerate cross-border infrastructure projects by fostering collaboration among African stakeholders and development partners. Additionally, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank contributed a report identifying institutional and policy challenges in infrastructure development, which was approved in September 2025.
Championed an elevated and broadened Compact with Africa initiative. South Africa committed to increasing the visibility of the Compact with Africa (CwA), a key existing platform for G20 Finance Track engagement with Africa. Zambia and Angola were admitted into the CwA in 2025. The Compact with Africa (CwA) initiative is designed to facilitate economic reforms across the African continent, and to attract investment from pools of private-sector funds in the global North. South Africa and Germany in collaboration with the African Union and the World Bank co-hosted a High-level side event on the G20 Compact with Africa for Economic Growth and Jobs. In addition, a second phase of the Compact with Africa for the period 2026-2033, was launched. Heads of State and Government and Heads of International and Regional Financial Institutions supporting the Compact with Africa also partipated in the meeting. Participants committed to strengthen the G20 Compact with Africa as the key platform for dialogue and engagement between the G20 and Africa, dedicated to unlocking private investment and job creation in Africa.
The G20 Joint Finance-Health Task Force addressed pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response financing, critical for Africa given recent health emergencies like Ebola and Mpox. South Africa highlighted the need to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation for health financing amid declining donor funds and highlighted the importance of strong public health institutions and region-specific initiatives. A simulation exercise based on an African outbreak scenario engaged G20 Deputies and included participation from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Finance.
South Africa prioritised financial inclusion by shifting focus from access to usage of financial services, a challenge especially relevant to Africa. The Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) prepared a global analysis identifying barriers to meaningful financial inclusion, including affordability, product design, and regulatory frictions. Efforts aim to support expanded usage of financial services across Africa and globally. In July 2025, a high-level dialogue co-hosted by the South African Reserve Bank and the Bank for International Settlements addressed challenges in cross-border payments within Africa, including high costs and slow processing, proposing solutions such as improved market data.
Source: Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa
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