Ramaphosa Outlines South Africa’s Priorities During its G20 Presidency at Davos 2025
South Africa is Chairing the G20 in 2025
Invited to the World Economic Forum 2025 (#WEF2025) in Davos, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took the opportunity to outlines the top priorities during its chairmanship of the G20. South Africa is set to host the G20 Summit 2025 (#G20Summit2025) towards the end of the year.
“South Africa has a tradition of inclusive dialogue and common action … The seeds of human progress were sown in Africa. In Africa, the earliest forms of human cooperation were forged and developed. As the leaders of G20 return to Africa, we make a call that we all harness these essential capabilities to build a better and fairer world. The G20 in Johannesburg should really be a forum where cooperation and collaboration among the leading economies of the world will be taken to a higher level. Together, we should build an inclusive, just and equal in which all may prosper, leaving no country and no one behind.”
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa
Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability
It will be the first time that the G20 Summit will be held on the African continent, following the formal admission of the AU into the G20 under India’s presidency. South Africa is honored to follow in the heels of Brazil in 2024 and to precede the USA in 2026 under the new Trump administration.
South Africa believes that certain global challenges, such as Climate Change, Illegal Migration, and Pandemic Preparedness, can only be resolved by pooling our resources and coordinating our efforts in an equitable manner That is why the theme of G20 centers around “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.”
International Finance Architecture
As a member of the Global South, South Africa sees many developing nations being pulled down by heavy debt burdens. Due to the bias in the sovereign credit rating, many developing countries only get access to capital at a high cost which may not be a true reflection of the socio-economic situation of the country.
South Africa calls for a reallocation of the IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to be rerouted to Africa and the #GlobaSouth. Currently, 0% of SDR go to developed countries which does not make sense.
Climate Change
Africa is home to some of the countries which are most vulnerable to the negative impact of #ClimateChange. South Africa will thus make Climate Finance as one of its top priorities to enhance Climate Adaptation and Climate Resilience. In addition, South Africa will support the Just Energy Transition (JET).
G20 must provide support, both financial and technical, to the Global South to come out of climatic disasters and prepare them to be more resilient in the future. South Africa believes that innovation could play a key role in climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
Critical Minerals
South Africa is of the belief that Local Value Addition (#LVA) of #CriticalMinerals at source is the way to go. South Africa will leverage the G20 platform to promote Green Industrialization and is the next frontier for manufacturing so that more benefits stay on the continent.
Critical Minerals are key to the #EnergyTransition and the #DecarbonizationDrive. So far, most of the benefits are flowing out of the continent much to the chagrin of Africans. Therefore, South Africa will foster local beneficiation and champion the reinforcement of Regional Value Chains (RVC) around Electric Vehicles (#EV) and Energy Storage Systems (#ESS) manufacturing.
AI and Digital Innovation
AI and digital innovation in general will make a profound impact on our lives, even now, and more so, in the future. Africa must not be left behind in this technological revolution just as it was left behind during the industrial revolution.
It is thus imperative for Africa to keep abreast of technological advances which may boost productivity, improve levels of services and enhance the man-machine interface.
In that chapter, Africa welcomes the setting up of AI data centers across the continent which are powered by the abundant sources of renewable and green energy. At the same time, the huge youth dividend enjoyed by Africa provides a pool of eager and enthusiastic adopters of cuttng-edge technology.
Investment Climate
Before ending, Schwab put forward the billion-dollar question as to why investors should come t South Africa. To that question, President Ramaphosa underlined his governments achievements and efforts in improving the business climate in South Africa. Firstly, the rolling blackouts are now getting under control. Secondly, he is cracking down on corruption in order to enhance the ‘ease of doing business’ in South Africa. Last but not least, South Africa is one of the most advanced and industrialised economies on the continent and is the preferred launchpad of many enterprises coming to Africa.