2025 G20 Johannesburg summit

South Africa assumed the G20 presidency from 1 December 2024, to November 2025, becoming the first African country to chair the forum; the term coincided with ongoing efforts by the international community to advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It marked the fourth consecutive G20 presidency held by a member of the Global South and BRICS, following Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024. South African officials stated that development issues affecting Africa and other Global South countries would be central to the presidency. President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated this priority, saying that South Africa would “put Africa's development at the top of the agenda when we host the G20 in 2025”. The presidency unfolded amid diplomatic tensions. Several preparatory meetings experienced disagreements among member states, and the United States declined to participate in some early sessions, citing concerns with aspects of the agenda. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stated in response that the G20 “should send a clear message that the world can move on with or without the US". == Summit theme ==

South Africa adopted the theme "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability" for its presidency. According to official sources, “solidarity” refers to cooperation across diverse economies, “equality” to promoting fair opportunities between and within countries, and “sustainability” to long-term development that does not compromise future generations. == Agenda priorities ==

South Africa identified several areas of focus for its presidency, many reflecting themes advanced in earlier G20 presidencies. • Disaster resilience – strengthening international coordination for responses to climate-related and natural disasters. • Debt sustainability – supporting improvements to debt-relief mechanisms and transparency for low-income countries. • Energy-transition finance – mobilising funding for renewable energy. • Critical minerals – promoting sustainable and locally beneficial development of mineral resources. Additional high-level priorities were organised within the G20's two traditional workstreams, the Sherpa and Finance Tracks. • Priority 2 – Food security • Priority 3 – Artificial intelligence and innovation for sustainable development == Preparations ==

The South African government had budgeted R691 million (US$38.7 million) in preparation for the G20 events. == Sherpa Working Groups ==

The G20 Sherpa Track oversees discussions, discusses the topics that make up the summit's agenda, and coordinates the majority of the work under the direction of the G20 presidents' personal representatives. The Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Zane Dangor, was appointed as the Sherpa by the South African government. Two Sous-Sherpas, Advocate Nokukhanya Jele and Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo, deputised the Sherpa. The Sherpa track is constituted of 15 Working Groups: • Agriculture • Anti-corruption • Culture • Development • Digital Economy • Disaster Risk reduction • Education • Employment • Empowerment of Women Working Group • Energy Transitions • Environment and Climate Sustainability • Health • Research and Innovation • Tourism • Trade and Investment == Participating leaders ==

File: Pablo Quirno Magrane - Retrato Oficial 2025.png |alt=ArgentinaPablo Quirno, Foreign Minister|''''''Pablo Quirno,Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship File:Anthony Albanese portrait (cropped).jpg|alt=AustraliaAnthony Albanese, Prime Minister|''''''''''Anthony Albanese,Prime Minister File:Foto oficial do Presidente da República Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (cropped) (2).jpg|alt=BrazilLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President|''''''Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,President File:2025-11-14 InaugurationREM Deux-Montagnes Mark Carney.jpg|alt=CanadaMark Carney, Prime Minister|''''''''''Mark Carney,Prime Minister File:Li Qiang on July 24, 2025 (cropped).jpg|alt=China Li Qiang, Premier|''''''Li Qiang,Premier File:Emmanuel Macron - June 2025 (3x4 cropped).jpg|alt=FranceEmmanuel Macron, President|''''''''''Emmanuel Macron,President File:2025-02-23 Bundestagswahl – Wahlabend CDU by Sandro Halank–070.jpg|alt=GermanyFriedrich Merz, Chancellor|''''''''''Friedrich Merz,Chancellor File:The official portrait of Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India.jpg|alt=IndiaNarendra Modi, Prime Minister|''''''''''Narendra Modi,Prime Minister File:Gibran Rakabuming 2024 official portrait.jpg|alt=IndonesiaGibran Rakabuming Raka, Vice President|''''''''''Gibran Rakabuming Raka,Vice President File:Giorgia Meloni Official 2024 (cropped).jpg|alt=ItalyGiorgia Meloni, Prime Minister|''''''''''Giorgia Meloni,Prime Minister File:Sanae Takaichi 20251021 (cropped) 1.jpg|alt=JapanSanae Takaichi, Prime Minister|''''''Sanae Takaichi,Prime Minister File:Максим Орешкин (cropped).jpg|alt=RussiaMaxim Oreshkin, Foreign Minister|''''''Maxim Oreshkin,Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office File: Fumio Kishida and Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud 20220719 (2) (cropped).jpg|alt=Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs|''''''''''Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud,Minister of Foreign Affairs File:President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa (3x4 cropped).jpg|alt=South AfricaCyril Ramaphosa, President (Host)|'''''Cyril Ramaphosa,President(Host)' File:Lee Jae-myung 20250823.jpg|alt=South KoreaLee Jae-myung, President|''''''''''Lee Jae Myung,President File:Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in January 2024 (cropped).jpg|alt=TurkeyRecep Tayyip Erdogan, President|''''''''''Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,President File:Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Official Portrait (cropped).jpg|alt=United KingdomKeir Starmer, Prime Minister|''''''''''Keir Starmer,Prime Minister File:Ursula von der Leyen 2024.jpg|alt=European UnionUrsula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission|''''''''''Ursula von der Leyen,President of the European Commission File:Antonio Costa Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|alt=European UnionAntonio Costa, President of the European Council|''''''''''Antonio Costa,President of the European Council File:President of Angola João Lourenço during a bilateral exchange at the Angola presidential palace in Luanda, Angola, September 27, 2023 - 230927-D-PM193-1914 (cropped).jpg|alt=João Lourenço 2023|''''''''''João Lourenço,Chairperson and President Notable non-participation Russian President Vladimir Putin if he enters the country US President Donald Trump was boycotting the event and not sending any representative, citing discredited claims of a white genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa and labelling the hosting of the summit there "a total disgrace". In support of Trump, Argentina's President Javier Milei also joined the boycott, designating Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno as his substitute. Chinese leader Xi Jinping also did not go to South Africa, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang attending instead. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also did not attend, while Russian President Vladimir Putin can't travel to South Africa due to the outstanding arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). South Africa is legally obliged to arrest Putin if he enters the country, as it is a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC. In a later development, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto also decided not to attend the summit in South Africa and instead sent Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to represent Indonesia. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud likewise withdrew from participation, assigning Foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to lead his delegation instead. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared: “the world can move on without the United States.” Despite President Trump's administration boycotting the meeting, Carney argued that the consensus reached at the G20 retained legitimacy. He emphasized that countries representing three-quarters of the world's population, two-thirds of global GDP, and three-quarters of world trade participated—even without the U.S. present. The following leaders were invited to the summit: File:Sifi Ghrieb 2026 (cropped).png|alt=Algeria Sifi Ghrieb, Prime Minister|''''''Sifi Ghrieb,Prime Minister File:Mostafa Madbouly (cropped).jpg|alt=Egypt Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister|''''''Mostafa Madbouly,Prime Minister2025 chairperson of the New Partnership for Africa's Development File:Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali (cropped).jpg|alt=Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister|''''''Abiy Ahmed,Prime Minister File:Ilham Aliyev met with Alexander Stubb at the 4th EPC Summit (1) (cropped).jpg|alt=Finland Alexander Stubb, President|''''''Alexander Stubb,President File:Micheal Martin, 2025 (cropped).jpg|alt=Ireland Micheál Martin, Taoiseach|''''''Micheál Martin,Taoiseach File:Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr. Andrew Holness at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on October 01, 2024 (cropped).jpg|alt=Jamaica Andrew Holness, Prime Minister|''''''Andrew Holness,Prime Minister File:Anwar Ibrahim June 2025.jpg|alt=Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister|''''''''''Anwar Ibrahim,Prime Minister2025 Chairperson of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations File:Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah 2025.jpg|alt=Namibia Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President|''''''Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah,President File:Dick Schoof in 2025.jpg|alt=Netherlands Dick Schoof, Prime Minister|''''''''''Dick Schoof,Prime Minister File:Kashim Shettima office portrait.jpg|alt=Nigeria Kashim Shettima, Vice President|''''''Kashim Shettima,Vice President File:Jonas Gahr Støre (2025) (cropped).jpg|alt=Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister|''''''Jonas Gahr Støre,Prime Minister File:Emir of Qatar on February 19, 2025 (cropped).jpg|alt=QatarSheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emirguest invitee|''''''Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,Emir File:Julius Maada Bio - 2023 (cropped).jpg|alt=Sierra LeoneJulius Maada Bio, PresidentChairman of Economic Community of West African States|''''''Julius Maada Bio,PresidentChairman of Economic Community of West African States File:Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong 250530-D-PM193-4275 (2025).jpg|alt=SingaporeLawrence Wong, Prime Minister|''''''Lawrence Wong,Prime Minister File:Obisk španskega predsednika vlade v Sloveniji (53658605930) (cropped).jpg|alt=Spain Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister|''''''Pedro Sánchez,Prime Minister File:PM meets with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, UAE (cropped).jpg|alt=United Arab Emirates|''''''Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan,Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi File:Secretary Blinken Meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (52070795768) (cropped).jpg|alt=Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister|''''''''''Phạm Minh Chính,Prime Minister File:Константино Чивенго (21-02-2024).jpg|alt=Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, President|''''''''''Constantino Chiwenga,Vice-President == Participating international organisation guests ==

The following organisation leaders were invited to the summit: File:Wamkele Keabetswe Mene (Africa).jpg|African Continental Free Trade AreaWamkele Mene,Secretary-General File:Akinwumi Adesina - 2014 (cropped).jpg| African Development BankAkinwumi Adesina,President File:Chileshe Kapwepwe (cropped).jpg| Common Market for Eastern and Southern AfricaChileshe Kapwepwe,Secretary General File:Secretary-General Veronica Nduva (cropped).jpg|East African CommunityVeronica Nduva,Secretary General File:Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ezéchiel Nibigira.png|Economic Community of Central African StatesEzéchiel Nibigira,Commission President File:Klaas Knot (born 1967) at World Economic Forum Davos 2022.png| Financial Stability BoardKlaas Knot,Chair File:Qu Dongyu - 7 October 2019 4.jpg| Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Qu Dongyu,Director-General File:Gilbert Houngbo.jpg|International Labour Organization Gilbert Houngbo,Director-General File:Kristalina Georgieva Headshot.jpg| International Monetary FundKristalina Georgieva,Managing Director File:ITU PP-18 Doreen Bogdan-Martin.jpg| International Telecommunication UnionDoreen Bogdan-Martin,Secretary-general File:Dilma Rousseff 2023.jpg|New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff,President File:Mathias Cormann APEC 2018.jpg|Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Mathias Cormann,Secretary General File:Portrait placeholder.svg|South CentreCarlos M. Correa,Executive Director File:Elias Magosi (cropped).jpg| Southern African Development CommunityElias Magosi,Executive Secretary File:UNCTAD at COP28 – 2 December 2023 (53371197188).jpg| UN Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan,Secretary-General File:Antonio Guterres 2025 headshot.jpg|alt=United NationsAntónio Guterres, Secretary-General|'''''' António Guterres,Secretary-General File:Xu Haoliang.jpg| United Nations Development ProgrammeHaoliang Xu,Administrator (acting) File:Portrait placeholder.svg| United Nations Economic Commission for AfricaClaver Gatete,Executive Secretary File:Didier Plowy - Audrey Azoulay (cropped).jpg| United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Audrey Azoulay,Director-General File:Ajay Banga.jpg| World BankAjay Banga,President File:Portrait placeholder.svg| World Customs OrganizationIan Saunders,Secretary General File:Mukhisa Kituyi, Houlin Zhao, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus with Sophia - AI for Good Global Summit 2018 (41223188035) (cropped).jpg| World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,Director-General File:Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala takes over as new WTO Director-General, 1 March 2021 (50993534756) (cropped).jpg| World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,Director-General == Outcomes ==

Summit Declaration Breaking with tradition, the South Africa G20 presidency tabled a Leader's statement at the beginning of the Johannesburg Summit. The Declaration of the first G20 summit hosted on African soil reflected its context, giving more visibility to African and Global South concerns. Despite a U.S. boycott, the declaration was adopted, underscoring a shift toward G20 unity around development, climate, and reform, in the spirit of multipolarity. The leaders in attendance adopted a 122-point declaration which focused on advancing global equity, multilateral reform, and sustainable development. Argentina was the only nation not to subscribe to the document, with FM Quirno arguing that "context and geopolitical facts" were missing in the issue of the Middle East and the G20 call for conditions in Palestine. Centred on theme of "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability", the declaration pushes for: • Food security: Recognizing volatile food prices, supporting smallholder farmers, and endorsing “Ubuntu Approaches” to nutrition and price stability. • Debt relief and financial reform: Restructuring international financial systems and addressing unmanageable debt in low- and middle-income nations. • Climate resilience and energy transition: Scaling up climate finance, disaster risk reduction, and just transitions to clean energy. • Inequality and global governance: Reforming global institutions (IMF, development banks) to better reflect Global South voices and reduce wealth disparities. • Inclusive industrialisation: Promoting value chains in critical minerals, especially in Africa, rather than just raw exports. • Peace and stability: Calling for just, lasting peace in conflict areas such as Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, and Palestine. • Digital transformation: Recognizing the role of AI and technology in economic and social development (as noted in Ramaphosa's opening remarks). == See also ==