World leaders convened in Johannesburg on Saturday for the first G20 summit to take place on African soil, marking a significant moment for both South Africa and the wider continent. The two-day meeting at the Nasrec Expo Centre brings together representatives from more than 40 countries and institutions to negotiate a final declaration touching on climate resilience, debt sustainability, sustainable industrialization and global economic stability.
The United States is not participating this year, following political disagreements between Washington and Pretoria, though the agenda is proceeding as planned. The U.S. remains a central player in the G20 due to the size of its economy and its influence in global financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. Its participation often shapes progress on debt relief, development financing and climate initiatives, meaning its absence does not halt negotiations but can limit the scale and speed of financial commitments.
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Preparations across Johannesburg have been extensive. Nasrec, situated near Soweto in South Africa, has been surrounded by heightened security, with thousands of officers deployed across major routes. The choice of venue carries symbolic weight for the host nation, reflecting South Africa’s ongoing efforts to bridge historic spatial inequalities while also presenting itself as a capable organizer of large-scale international events.
Delegates travelled through newly cleaned streets lined with G20 banners featuring leaders from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America as the city attempted to present its best face despite ongoing challenges with infrastructure and service delivery.
Inside the summit halls, discussions have centered on development financing for countries facing mounting climate pressures. African states have repeatedly underscored that climate-linked disasters; ranging from prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa to severe flooding in West Africa and southern Africa, are now straining national budgets and hindering progress on development goals.
South Africa, using its presidency, has highlighted the need for a more predictable system of financing reconstruction after natural disasters, arguing that slow and inconsistent flows of funding leave vulnerable economies exposed.
Debt sustainability remains a second major emphasis. Several African economies have faced difficulties meeting repayment obligations over the past five years due to rising global interest rates and weakened currencies. Finance ministers across the continent have cited limited fiscal space as a barrier to investing in energy, health and transport infrastructure.
The G20’s ongoing work on debt-resolution frameworks is expected to feature prominently in the final communiqué, with many delegations calling for more streamlined and transparent processes. The outcomes are anticipated closely by countries currently engaged in restructuring talks or experiencing debt-related vulnerabilities.
The issue of critical minerals, essential for global clean-energy technologies, has also drawn significant attention. Africa hosts substantial reserves of cobalt, manganese, lithium and platinum-group metals, resources in growing demand as major economies accelerate their transitions to low-carbon energy systems.
Delegates from multiple regions have highlighted the importance of ensuring that mineral-rich countries benefit more fully from their own resources through local processing, skills development and industrialization. The continent’s leaders have argued that without new forms of partnership, global decarbonization risks reinforcing long-standing patterns of unequal value distribution.
Protests across Johannesburg have provided a parallel narrative to the summit. Women’s rights groups staged national demonstrations calling attention to gender-based violence. Climate organisations gathered in alternative forums critical of existing global economic structures. Local groups protesting unemployment, migration and inequality also made their presence felt. Authorities maintained that demonstrations were permitted as long as they remained peaceful, and police reported no major disruptions to summit proceedings.
Despite the contrasting pressures outside the venue, negotiations inside Nasrec are progressing steadily. Officials indicate that delegations have reached an agreement on a joint declaration, expected to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals while urging reforms to international financial institutions to better address the needs of low-income and climate-vulnerable nations. The text is also expected to recognize the growing importance of Africa within global supply chains and global climate policy.
For South Africa, the summit concludes a year-long G20 presidency that aimed to elevate the priorities of developing economies within global decision-making. By hosting the event, the country sought to demonstrate its leadership capacity and to draw broader attention to Africa’s role in shaping responses to climate change, global inequality and economic resilience.
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As the summit enters its final hours, the focus turns to whether the commitments made in Johannesburg will lead to tangible changes in financing and policy. For African governments, much will depend on how quickly new instruments for disaster response, debt treatment and sustainable industrial growth are implemented. For global partners, the question is how effectively the G20 can uphold its relevance in a period of shifting geopolitical alliances and increasing economic uncertainty.
Johannesburg’s hosting of the G20 has placed Africa at the centre of international debate on sustainability and development. As delegations prepare to depart, the long-term significance of this moment will be measured not only by the declarations issued, but by the policies and investments that follow.
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