The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation received briefings from civil society organisations, business organisations and labour unions on preparations for the G20 Summit, which will be hosted by South Africa as part of its Presidency of the G20 in 2025.
Dr Thulani Mthembu of the Think Tank engagement group said that as part of the build up to the summit and creating a strong African footprint, high-level dialogues have been organised in Addis Ababa, working with New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the African Development Bank and other African institutions. “We are taking G20 to the continent, Dr Mthembu said. “We are also ensuring that we link the G20 with international summits taking place around the world.”
Dr Mthembu said this summit is about the whole continent of Africa and he therefore believes that one of the most important factors to consider in the preparations is ease of movement of people. “Facilitating the movement of people will be quite important for the summit. We need to ease the visa process for visitors coming to G20-related meetings,” he suggested.
Prof Narnia Bohler Muller of Women 20, a G20 engagement group dedicated to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, told the committee that one of the summit’s objectives is to ensure that gender is included in the G20 discussions and in the declaration.
Representing the labour sector, Mr Mathew Parks of the Congress of South African Trade Unions said the G20 is an opportunity to push an agenda that will respond to the plight of the working class and the poor in society. “South Africa’s hosting for labour is about building on the foundation laid by the two previous summits with the aim to accelerate, deepen and advance the gains towards more concrete and substantive results for workers, particularly in the developing world,” he said.
Mr Thulani Tshefuta from Civil Society 20 advised the portfolio committee to maintain constant engagement with all other G20 structures and processes to keep abreast of developments and state of readiness. He also believes that the committee should maintain post-summit engagements to maintain an interest in and oversee the implementation of legacy projects.
The theme for G20 under South Africa’s presidency is “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” with key priorities including hunger and poverty, debt and development, inclusion, just transition, sustainable financing for development, and reform of the international financial architecture. The committee believes it is important for the public to know about the impact of hosting such summits, as they are funded by taxpayers. The G20 must not be a vanity project but should have tangible benefits under South Africa’s presidency,” said committee member Mr Samuel Moela.
The preparations for the G20 Summit will be a permanent agenda in all of the portfolio committee meetings with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Committee Chairperson Mr Supra Mahumapelo thanked the organisations for sharing important information with the committee. “Civil society plays an important role in strengthening our democracy. Your inputs are helpful as we continue to build a progressive South Africa,” he said.
The G20 was established in 1999 in response to the Asian financial crisis. It started as a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors before it was elevated to leaders level during the 2008 global financial crisis. Its primary objective is international economic cooperation and financial stability. It comprises 19 countries as well as the European Union and the African Union, with Nigeria and Ethiopia as observers. Member countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Sakhile Mokoena
13 February 2025
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