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2025 G20 Johannesburg summit

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2025 G20 Johannesburg Summit
20th G20 Summit
← 19th
22–23 November 2025
21st →
2025 G20 summit attendees
Host country South Africa
MottoSolidarity, Equality, Sustainability
CitiesJohannesburg
VenuesJohannesburg Expo Centre
ParticipantsG20 members
Invited states:
 Algeria
 Egypt
 Ethiopia
 Finland
 Ireland
 Jamaica
 Malaysia
 Namibia
 Netherlands
 Nigeria
 Norway
 Qatar
 Sierra Leone
 Singapore
 Spain
 United Arab Emirates
 Vietnam
 Zimbabwe
International bodies:
AFDB, CAF, FSB, FAO, IDB, ILO, IMF, LAS, NDB, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, World Bank, WHO, WTO
ChairCyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa
Websiteg20.org

The 2025 G20 Johannesburg summit was the twentieth meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20), a Head of State and Government meeting held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa on 22–23 November 2025. It was the first G20 summit to take place on the African continent.[1][2][3] It was also notable for the non-attendance by the top leaders of several major economies, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin, although they did send participating delegations. The United States did not participate in the summit, despite being a G20 member.

Presidency

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South Africa assumed the G20 presidency from 1 December 2024, to November 2025, becoming the first African country to chair the forum; the term coincided with ongoing efforts by the international community to advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It marked the fourth consecutive G20 presidency held by a member of the Global South and BRICS, following Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024. South African officials stated that development issues affecting Africa and other Global South countries would be central to the presidency. President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated this priority, saying that South Africa would “put Africa's development at the top of the agenda when we host the G20 in 2025”.[4][5]

The presidency unfolded amid diplomatic tensions. Several preparatory meetings experienced disagreements among member states, and the United States declined to participate in some early sessions, citing concerns with aspects of the agenda. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stated in response that the G20 “should send a clear message that the world can move on with or without the US".[6]

Summit theme

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South Africa adopted the theme "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability" for its presidency.[7]

According to official sources, “solidarity” refers to cooperation across diverse economies, “equality” to promoting fair opportunities between and within countries, and “sustainability” to long-term development that does not compromise future generations.[5]

Agenda priorities

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South Africa identified several areas of focus for its presidency, many reflecting themes advanced in earlier G20 presidencies.

  • Disaster resilience – strengthening international coordination for responses to climate-related and natural disasters.
  • Debt sustainability – supporting improvements to debt-relief mechanisms and transparency for low-income countries.
  • Energy-transition finance – mobilising funding for renewable energy.
  • Critical minerals – promoting sustainable and locally beneficial development of mineral resources.[8]

Additional high-level priorities were organised within the G20's two traditional workstreams, the Sherpa and Finance Tracks.[5][a]

High-level priorities

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Preparations

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The South African government had budgeted R691 million (US$38.7 million) in preparation for the G20 events.[13]

Sherpa Working Groups

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Session of the 2025 G20 Leaders' Summit

The G20 Sherpa Track oversees discussions, discusses the topics that make up the summit's agenda, and coordinates the majority of the work under the direction of the G20 presidents' personal representatives. The Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Zane Dangor, was appointed as the Sherpa by the South African government. Two Sous-Sherpas, Advocate Nokukhanya Jele and Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo, deputised the Sherpa.[14]

The Sherpa track is constituted of 15 Working Groups:

  1. Agriculture
  2. Anti-corruption
  3. Culture
  4. Development
  5. Digital Economy
  6. Disaster Risk reduction
  7. Education
  8. Employment
  9. Empowerment of Women Working Group
  10. Energy Transitions
  11. Environment and Climate Sustainability
  12. Health
  13. Research and Innovation
  14. Tourism
  15. Trade and Investment

Participating leaders

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Notable non-participation

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South Africa is legally obliged to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he enters the country

US President Donald Trump was boycotting the event and not sending any representative, citing discredited claims of a white genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa and labelling the hosting of the summit there "a total disgrace".[21] In support of Trump, Argentina's President Javier Milei also joined the boycott, designating Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno as his substitute.[22]

Chinese leader Xi Jinping also did not go to South Africa, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang attending instead.[23] Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also did not attend, while Russian President Vladimir Putin can't travel to South Africa due to the outstanding arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).[24] South Africa is legally obliged to arrest Putin if he enters the country, as it is a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC.[25]

In a later development, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto also decided not to attend the summit in South Africa and instead sent Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to represent Indonesia.[26] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud likewise withdrew from participation, assigning Foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to lead his delegation instead.[20]

These absences left the summit with neither of the two largest global economies represented by their top leaders, and seven of the G20's nineteen member countries not sending their heads of state or government. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the absence of approximately one-third of full leadership participation posed a serious risk to the future relevance and effectiveness of the G20 as a global governance forum.[27]

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared: “the world can move on without the United States.” Despite President Trump's administration boycotting the meeting, Carney argued that the consensus reached at the G20 retained legitimacy. He emphasized that countries representing three-quarters of the world's population, two-thirds of global GDP, and three-quarters of world trade participated—even without the U.S. present.[28]

The following leaders were invited to the summit:[29][30][31]

Participating international organisation guests

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The following organisation leaders were invited to the summit:[29]

Outcomes

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Summit Declaration

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Breaking with tradition, the South Africa G20 presidency tabled a Leader's statement at the beginning of the Johannesburg Summit. The Declaration of the first G20 summit hosted on African soil reflected its context, giving more visibility to African and Global South concerns. Despite a U.S. boycott, the declaration was adopted, underscoring a shift toward G20 unity around development, climate, and reform, in the spirit of multipolarity.[35][36]

The leaders in attendance adopted a 122-point declaration which focused on advancing global equity, multilateral reform, and sustainable development. Argentina was the only nation not to subscribe to the document, with FM Quirno arguing that "context and geopolitical facts" were missing in the issue of the Middle East and the G20 call for conditions in Palestine.[37] Centred on theme of "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability", the declaration pushes for:

  • Food security: Recognizing volatile food prices, supporting smallholder farmers, and endorsing “Ubuntu Approaches” to nutrition and price stability.
  • Debt relief and financial reform: Restructuring international financial systems and addressing unmanageable debt in low- and middle-income nations.
  • Climate resilience and energy transition: Scaling up climate finance, disaster risk reduction, and just transitions to clean energy.
  • Inequality and global governance: Reforming global institutions (IMF, development banks) to better reflect Global South voices and reduce wealth disparities.
  • Inclusive industrialisation: Promoting value chains in critical minerals, especially in Africa, rather than just raw exports.
  • Peace and stability: Calling for just, lasting peace in conflict areas such as Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, and Palestine.
  • Digital transformation: Recognizing the role of AI and technology in economic and social development (as noted in Ramaphosa's opening remarks).

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Sherpa Track is composed of personal representatives of G20 leaders, who negotiate and prepare the summit agenda.[9] The Finance Track involves G20 finance ministers and central bank governors and focuses on macroeconomic and financial issues.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "G20 Leaders'Summit". G20 South Africa. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Political events set to boost tourism in 2025". Southern & East African Tourism Update. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  3. ^ Brederode, William. "Cape Town 'disappointed' as Joburg gets to host G20 Summit thanks to airports, hotels". News24. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Saudi Sherpa Office holds first G20 workshop in preparation for 2025 summit". Saudi Gazette. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "G20 Presidency". Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  6. ^ Boussion, Mathilde (22 November 2025). "How the US tried to undermine the G20 summit in South Africa". Le Monde. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  7. ^ "2025 G20 Summit: Johannesburg to host global event". eNCA. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  8. ^ "G20 Presidency: SA outlines 2025 priorities". News24. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  9. ^ South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Sherpa Track, accessed 1 July 2025.
  10. ^ South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Finance Track, accessed 1 July 2025.
  11. ^ "G20 summit an opportunity to fix ailing Joburg metro". IOL. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  12. ^ Tembo, Patricia (6 January 2025). "G20 Summit sparks optimism for Mzansi agriculture in 2025". Food For Mzansi. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  13. ^ "Lamola says hosting G20 summit in 2025 to cost SA nearly R700m". BusinessLIVE. Archived from the original on 13 October 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  14. ^ "Sherpa Track". Archived from the original on 20 September 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Milei se alinea con Trump y tampoco irá a la cumbre del G20 en Sudáfrica, pero enviará al canciller Pablo Quirno". Infobae (in Spanish). 11 November 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  16. ^ Cheng, Evelyn (17 November 2025). "China premier won't meet Japan PM at G20, says Chinese foreign ministry". Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  17. ^ "Gibran flies to South Africa to represent Prabowo at the G20 summit". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  18. ^ "Mexico's Sheinbaum to send substitute to G20 summit".
  19. ^ Eruygur, Burc (4 November 2025). "Putin signs order assigning deputy chief of staff to lead Russia's delegation at G20 summit". Anadolu Agency. Anadolu Ajansı. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  20. ^ a b "Foreign minister leads Saudi delegation at G20 meeting, calls for closer global partnership". Arab News. Saudi Research & Publishing Company. 22 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Trump: US to boycott G20 in South Africa over discredited white farmer 'abuses'". BBC. 9 November 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  22. ^ "Javier Milei se bajó de la cumbre del G20 en una muestra de apoyo al boicot de Donald Trump". Todo Noticias (in Spanish). 11 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  23. ^ Cheng, Evelyn (13 November 2025). "Xi joins Trump in skipping G-20 summit in blow to South Africa". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  24. ^ "G20 summit: No Trump, Xi or Putin — but with Merz". Deutsche Welle. 21 November 2025.
  25. ^ "G20 summit in South Africa: Who's attending and what's on the agenda?". Al Jazeera. 22 November 2025.
  26. ^ "Carrying out President Prabowo's assignment, Vice President Gibran departs for Johannesburg to attend the G20 Summit". Wapresri. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  27. ^ "G20 summit opens in South Africa without Trump". France 24. 22 November 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  28. ^ "Canada PM Carney says world can move on without US, stresses new ties". The Straits Times. 23 November 2025. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Invitees". G20 South Africa. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  30. ^ "Prime Minister in South Africa to represent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in G20 Summit". Algeria Press Service. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  31. ^ G20 Johannesburg Summit Session 3 “A Fair and a Just Future for All”
  32. ^ "Anwar, South African President hold bilateral talks on expanding strategic cooperation [WATCH]". New Straits Times. 7 July 2025.
  33. ^ "Minister-president Schoof neemt deel aan de G20- en de AU-EU-top en bezoekt Suriname" (in Dutch). Rijksoverheid. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  34. ^ "South Africa invites Viet Nam to attend G20 Summit". en.baochinhphu.vn. 23 April 2025.
  35. ^ "Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of the G20 Leaders' Summit". 22 November 2025.
  36. ^ "G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders' Declaration, 22 and 23 November 2025". 22 November 2025.
  37. ^ "Argentina no firmó la declaración del G20 y criticó el acuerdo" [Argentina did not sign the declaration of the G20 and criticised the agreements]. Ámbito Financiero (in Spanish). 22 November 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
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