Friday 20 / December / 2024
New Delhi: SOUTH Africa took over the presidency of the G20 on December 1, 2025 from Brazil thus becoming the first African country to head this international forum comprising the world’s leading industrialised and emerging economies.
The Group of Twenty (G20) is an intergovernmental economic platform comprising 19 countries, the European Union (EU), and more recently, the African Union (AU). The member countries account for 85% of the world’s GDP, over 75% of global trade and represent approximately two thirds of the world’s population.
Launching South Africa’s G20 2025 Presidency in Cape Town recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa underlined the importance of the forum. “The grouping therefore plays a critical role in influencing global policy making and fostering global economic stability. Decisions taken by the G20 have a direct impact on the lives of all members of the global community,” he said.
South Africa takes over the G20 Presidency from two other developing countries – Brazil (2024) and India (2023). South Africa and India share a particularly strong bond of friendship harking back to their respective struggles against colonialism and apartheid. Ramaphosa, like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, assumes the G20 Presidency amidst severe economic, political and social turmoil. South Africa can learn from India’s experience dealing with the thorny issues facing the G20.
The theme for India’s G20 Presidency was ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, which feeds into South Africa’s theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability’.
“Through solidarity, we can create an inclusive future that advances the interests of people at the greatest risk of being left behind. This is important in an interconnected world, where the challenges faced by one nation affect all nations,” Ramaphosa said, echoing Modi’s appeal for a “spirit of multilateralism and inclusiveness”.
The world had just begun to shrug off the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic when Modi took office. As leader of the G20, South Africa may not have to deal with the aftermath of a deadly pandemic. Still, it faces an equally dangerous threat – the devastating Middle East conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has the potential to escalate and drag the whole world with it.
When Modi took over the G20 leadership in 2023, he said: “The 21st century is a time that has the potential to give a new direction to the entire world. It’s a time when years-old challenges demand new solutions from us. Therefore, we must move forward by fulfilling all our responsibilities with a human-centric approach.” India’s call for a human-centric approach to solving the world’s problems resonates with Ramaphosa’s desire to see the G20 work towards, “a more just and equal world, and a world in which poverty and hunger are eradicated.”
The Russia-Ukraine war was raging when Modi assumed the mantle of leadership of the G20 in 2023 and continues unabated as South Africa takes over. India, as the leader of the G20, demonstrated diplomatic insight in dealing with the potentially divisive issue through a consensual approach consistent with differing national positions. Under India, the Group emphasised the principle of territorial integrity but avoided any direct attack on Russia.
The Delhi Declaration adopted by the G20 in 2023, read: “In accordance with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to pursue territorial acquisition that undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any country. Additionally, the use or threat of using nuclear weapons is unacceptable.” Through painstaking effort and careful wording, the G20 member states managed to get Russia’s support for the clause dealing with this highly sensitive issue.
South Africa and many G20 member states are staunch supporters of the Palestinian cause. However, powerful countries like the US and many European Union members continue to support Israel despite strong criticism. South Africa will have to walk a tightrope in dealing with the divisive Middle East issue, which could derail an agreement at the G20 in 2025. The incoming president of the G20 will have to adopt the kind of skilful diplomacy India used to defuse tensions around the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is the only way Pretoria can achieve the consensus that allowed India to get unanimous support for the Delhi Declaration adopted by all participating countries at the 2023 G20 summit.
South Africa has identified bridging the digital divide as an economic imperative and it’s one of the priorities for its G20 term. India, which has made great strides in technology and innovation, can provide valuable insight in this regard. Under its stewardship, the 2023 G20 Digital Economy Ministers agreed on a set of principles to promote governance of digital public infrastructure (DPI) for public benefit. It also launched the DPI Playbook which provides resources to member countries wanting to build inclusive and rights-based digital public infrastructure.
In taking the reins of the G20, Pretoria faced similar challenges as India when it took leadership of the forum. These include a turbulent global economy, the North-South divide, food, health, energy and water insecurity, wars and terrorism. Cybersecurity and climate change threaten global well-being today as they did when India was the head of the G20. South Africa, like India, seeks to reform the global debt architecture to prevent the developing world’s debt crises; mobilise funding to close the development financing gap, and address ongoing Illegal Financial Flows (IFFs).
Under Modi, the G20 approached these challenges in the spirit of pragmatism and multilateralism. Ramaphosa has already pronounced that the challenges facing the G20 present “both opportunities and risks”, indicating a similar measure of pragmatism.
India was instrumental in getting the African Union (AU) to become a permanent member of the G20 on par with the European Union in 2023. This has opened the door for South Africa to muster greater support for Africa and the Global South. Both countries have championed the cause of developing countries. India did its bit by getting the AU admitted to the G20. Now South Africa must take up the cudgels as it leads the G20.
