20 Nov The 2025 G20 Summit: Prioritising Africa’s Developmental Agenda
The G20, a major minilateral gathering of 20 of the world’s major economies, represents 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and 67% of the world’s population. Bringing together countries from both developed and developing economies and entities such as the European Union and the African Union, it is a major annual opportunity to address critical global issues from a diverse range of perspectives. It is therefore an important acknowledgement of the growing importance of Africa globally, that the G20 will take place in Africa for the first time in its history. Of particular importance this year will be the opportunity to strengthen international economic collaboration and advance the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the socio-economic plan for Africa, as well as to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But with geopolitics and divergences in diplomatic priorities, having the potential to undermine the potential for agreement at the summit, it will be important to remember that diplomacy should be measured not just by what can be achieved in the present but also by the influence it has on what can be achieved in the future.
The South African/African Agenda
For the 2025 Summit, South Africa has chosen the theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, that speaks to its own history as well as the developmental challenges facing Africa and the global South. As hosts of the 2025 G20 they will therefore place a firm focus on two of South Africa’s primary foreign policy priorities – promoting the development agenda of Africa and the global South and refocusing efforts to achieve the UN’s SDGs.
To address these issues, four priorities have been identified that hamper Africa’s development – disaster resilience; debt sustainability; financing the just energy transition and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development. These priorities have been supported by task forces throughout the year. The first of these are: Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Reduced Inequality; the second is Food Security; and the last is on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development.
Additional initiatives include a “Review of the work of the G20”; a “Cost of Capital Review”; a “Broadened Compact with Africa 2.0”; an “Initiative on Critical Minerals” and a paper on “Global Wealth Inequality.” The agenda is also supported by 13 engagement groups that represent different aspects of civil society and business.
To achieve the goals it has set out at the G20, South Africa will therefore look to leverage its ability to act as a bridge between the global North and global South and its commitment to international cooperation, to secure success first and foremost, for the African continent.
The UK’s Role at the G20
For the UK, the G20 provides a welcome distraction from turbulence at home and an opportunity to influence and engage with allies and rivals alike at a moment of growing geopolitical contestation. With ongoing wars in the Middle East, Ukraine and beyond, and the growing retrenchment of the United States, the Summit therefore comes at a critical time for the UK.
This year’s G20 provides a particularly unique opportunity for the UK to position itself as a champion and supporter of the Global South. By supporting the African Agenda, supporting the reform of multilateral institutions and building alliances with other like-minded emerging middle powers in the group like South Africa, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Mexico amongst others, the UK can seek to achieve outcomes that are mutually beneficial. Such an approach can help lead not only to a more secure and peaceful world but a more secure and prosperous UK, helping the UK win friends and allies, at a time where global power is rapidly shifting.
The importance of this opportunity is increasingly recognised by the UK Government with the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting stating that, “The G20 comes together around multilateral institutions to support prosperity, to support security, and to support that collaboration across the globe. We support those principles, and we must keep all of them alive.”
Of particular importance will be the opportunity live and breathe its renewed focus on “equitable partnerships”, which is embedded throughout recent UK strategic documents. By utilising the Summit as an opportunity to listen to the Global South and, as in the words of Baroness Chapman, create a “shared mission for economic growth and opportunity… (to) get countries on a journey out of development and aid.”
Hard Choices Ahead
It has taken nearly two decades for the G20 to arrive on African shores and to seeks solutions to the challenges Africa faces in pursuit of progress, informed by the principle of “African solutions to African problems.” South Africa, Africa and members of the G20, including the UK, need to embrace this opportunity to work collectively to deliver in the spirit of Ubuntu (humanity to others) for Africa and its people.
