G20 Summit puts poor countries at the centre of global discourse

South Africa successfully champions critical issues facing low and middle income countries

- SIPHELELE DLUDLA

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa used his closing remarks on Sunday to deliver a clear message: the world's ability to secure prosperity, stability and climate safety hinges on helping developing nations escape crushing debt, accelerating climate action, and ensuring that the global scramble for critical minerals benefits Africa.

(GCIS)

THE G20 Leaders’ Summit held for the first time on African soil in Johannesburg over the weekend has come and gone, but South Africa has successfully championed to put critical issues facing lowand middle-income countries at the center of global debate.

This is in spite of the United States boycotting the global summit and attempting to influence Heads of States not to adopt the Leaders’ Declaration, which somewhat caused a minor diplomatic row over the incoming G20 Presidency.

President Cyril Ramaphosa used his closing remarks on Sunday to deliver a clear message: the world’s ability to secure prosperity, stability and climate safety hinges on helping developing nations escape crushing debt, accelerating climate action, and ensuring that the global scramble for critical minerals benefits Africa rather than repeating past patterns of exploitation.

Ramaphosa said South Africa had used its Presidency to “place the priorities of Africa and the Global South firmly at the heart of the G20 agenda,” with debt, climate finance and critical minerals emerging as pillars of the Johannesburg consensus.