The tightrope balance between policy disruption and diplomacy at Startup20

THE Startup20 (SU20) midterm engagement was, by all accounts, a success.

- BOITSHOKO SHOKE

It brought together taskforce members, youth leaders, global partners, and policy stakeholders in a high energy environment designed to move beyond rhetoric and into action. There was a shared sense of urgency and commitment to shaping meaningful, global policy proposals ahead of the G20 Summit in November.

In her address, Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams highlighted the significance of South Africa's G20 Presidency under the theme "Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability," calling for urgent reform of global trade and financial systems to better serve vulnerable economies and communities. She stressed the importance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in driving inclusive growth, innovation, and resilience, particularly within underserved rural and township communities. The Minister underscored the need to ensure MSMEs are not afterthoughts in policy, but rather strategic actors in economic development. She reaffirmed South Africa's proposal to establish a formal G20 MSME and Startup Working Group, positioning this as a potential legacy of the current G20 cycle.