With one month until it hosts the first G20 Leaders’ Summit on African soil, South Africa is advocating for debt sustainability, green financing, and disaster response. The country, under its G20 Presidency theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability, has convened 120 out of 132 planned meetings to address global challenges.
South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency in December 2024 as the first African nation to do so, setting the theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.” The Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for 22 November in Johannesburg, marking the end of the year-long programme.
G20 sous-sherpa Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo stated on 21 October 2025: “Thus far, we have convened 120 out of a possible 132 planned meetings [that have] taken place inside and outside of South Africa, across all Sherpa Track and Finance Track Working Groups, including the three task forces established by our Presidency.” These discussions focused on urgent global issues, seeking solutions through collaboration.
Key priorities include debt sustainability and reducing capital costs, mobilising financing for Just Energy Transitions, harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth, and strengthening disaster resilience. Mabhongo added that South Africa aims to build consensus on Sustainable Development Goals, development financing gaps, gender equality, and reforming global governance systems.
Elizabeth Sidiropoulos from the South African Institute of International Affairs noted modest expectations on African debt, referencing the African Union debt conference in Togo that called for rethinking debt architecture. She said South Africa adopted a pragmatic approach, focusing on the common framework rather than overhauling the system in one year.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile have engaged leaders in New York, Ireland, Belgium, and Indonesia. Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya highlighted support for priorities, including a G20 Extraordinary Committee on Global Wealth Inequality led by Professor Joseph Stiglitz. At the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Ramaphosa welcomed EU backing.
The summit will produce a Leaders’ Declaration, described by Mabhongo as “ambitious, bold and concise,” or a chairperson’s summary if consensus fails. Sidiropoulos cautioned that achieving a declaration may require compromises, potentially limiting ambition to maintain consensus.
In parallel preparations, a G20 'dry run' on 24-25 October will disrupt traffic in Gauteng metros, affecting routes like the N1 and N3 to test security for the summit at Nasrec.