G20 South Africa and the order of multilateralism

THE 2025 G20 Johannesburg Summit marked a historic turning point, the first time the G20 convened on African soil.

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What might once have been a symbolic novelty has become a deliberate effort to reorient global multilateralism around centres of power, demographics, and the ambitions of the Global South. South Africa's leadership leveraged the summit to highlight Africa’s priorities and demonstrate that multipolarity can function effectively, even without full participation from traditional powers.

Africa: A Rising Labour Capital

Africa stands at the cusp of demographic and economic transformation. The continent’s population exceeds 1.56 billion which is nearly a fifth of the world’s total, with a median age of just 19.2 years, making it the youngest region globally. Between 2024 and 2050, the working-age population is projected to almost double, rising from approximately 849 million to 1.56 billion.

Africa is expected to supply a large share of global labour growth over this period, with some estimates suggesting up to 85%.

These dynamics create extraordinary labour capital potential. By 2043, Africa's labour supply is forecast to expand by roughly 23.5 million per year, and the continent’s workforce could surpass that of China by around 2034. Africa is not only growing; it is growing younger and more dynamic. If properly mobilised, this expanding pool of labour is set to become a global engine of production, innovation, and value creation.

The G20 Summit: Matching Structure to Demographics

The Johannesburg summit arrived at precisely the right historical moment. Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, Africa’s G20 presidency sought not mere visibility but structural influence, embedding Africa’s demographic realities into the architecture of global governance.