• The G20 Summit 2025, hosted in Johannesburg on 22–23 November, was the first time the leaders’ meeting took place on African soil, giving the Global South a more prominent platform. The South African presidency prioritised climate adaptation, debt relief, inclusive industrialisation, and upgrading global governance to better represent developing economies. The summit produced a lengthy Leaders’ Declaration focused on resilience, equity and sustainable development, but it also exposed diplomatic rifts that complicated unanimous endorsement by every guest.

G20 Johannesburg Summit 2025

• The 2025 G20 Johannesburg Summit, held on 22-23 November 2025 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, marked the 20th meeting of the G20 and the first-ever summit hosted on the African continent. South Africa used this opportunity to highlight Africa’s development priorities, global equity, and South-South cooperation. The summit gained attention due to the absence of top leaders from major economies, including China’s Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite this, leaders focused on global economic recovery, climate resilience, and digital cooperation.

G20 Summit 2025 Theme

• South Africa has selected the G20 Summit 2025 Theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability” for its G20 Presidency, reflecting the group’s original mission and values. The theme emphasises collective action, fairness in global development, and long-term environmental responsibility. It aims to strengthen unity among nations while promoting inclusive and sustainable growth worldwide.

G20 Historical Background

• The G20 was established in 1999 in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis to bring together major advanced and emerging economies for global economic coordination. Initially a finance ministers’ forum, it evolved into a Leaders’ Summit in 2008 after the Global Financial Crisis.
• Formed in 1999 by G7 finance ministers and central bank governors to prevent future financial crises.
• Initially functioned as a finance ministers’ and central bank governors’ forum before expanding to leaders’ summits in 2008.
• The shift to leaders’ meetings came during the Global Financial Crisis, positioning the G20 at the center of global economic recovery.
• Represents 85% of global GDP, 75% of global trade, and around two-thirds of the world’s population, giving it unmatched influence.
• Membership includes a mix of advanced and emerging economies, ensuring a broad, inclusive approach to global challenges.
• Over the years, the G20 agenda expanded from macroeconomic coordination to climate change, health security, digital transformation, terrorism financing, and sustainable development.
• Played a major role in creating global financial reforms, including Basel III, strengthening financial institutions, and enhancing global regulatory cooperation.
• Supported major global commitments such as the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and debt relief initiatives for vulnerable nations.

G20 Member Countries

• The G20 Member Countries includes 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union and, since 2023, the African Union is a permanent member.

G20 Johannesburg Summit 2025 Outcomes

• 122-Paragraph Document: Members agreed a 122-para-Declaration covering climate finance, UNSC reform, debt, gender, youth, Africa-centric development and critical minerals.
• UNSC Reform Push: It calls for reforming the UNSC to better represent Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, reflecting today’s power realities instead of 1945 structures.
• Climate & Finance Commitments: Leaders endorsed scaling climate finance from “billions to trillions”, just transitions and support for vulnerable economies under the Paris Agreement.
• Mission 300: A joint initiative by the World Bank and African Development Bank aimed at providing electricity access to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
• Debt & Cost of Capital: A Cost of Capital Commission was launched to tackle unfair risk premia on Global South borrowers and address Africa’s USD 1.8 trillion debt burden.
• Social Targets: The Declaration adopted the Nelson Mandela Bay Target (cut NEET youth share by 5% by 2030) and a goal of 25% gender parity in labour force participation by 2030.
• Critical Minerals Framework: Leaders welcomed a G20 Critical Minerals Framework to secure sustainable, diversified mineral value chains and local beneficiation in developing countries.

Opportunities In The G20

• Platform for Global South: With AU as a member and South Africa as host, G20 2025 gave Africa and the broader Global South greater voice in setting global economic priorities.
• Economic Governance Reforms: It can drive reforms in IMF–World Bank voting shares, lending norms and debt restructuring, making finance fairer for developing countries.
• Technology & AI Governance: It offers a forum to shape rules on AI, data governance, digital public infrastructure and critical minerals, preventing techno-monopolies.
• Security & Drug-Terror Nexus: G20 can coordinate responses to terror financing, drug trafficking (e.g., fentanyl) and cyber threats that cut across regions.
• India's Proposals: Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed six new initiatives, including an Open Satellite Data Partnership, a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, and an Africa Skills Multiplier program.

Geopolitical Tensions & Erosion Of G20’s Role

• Absence of Big Three: With Trump, Xi and Putin skipping Johannesburg, the summit tilted towards “middle powers”, weakening the forum’s clout on core strategic issues.
• Trump’s Unilateralism: Trump’s tariff wars, suspicion of multilateralism, and preference for bilateral deals (e.g., G2 with China, G8+Russia) undercut the logic of G20 collective action.
• US-South Africa Clash: The US opposed climate and debt language, refused to join the declaration, and accused Pretoria of “weaponising” its presidency, breaking G20’s consensus norm.
• Argentina’s Late Exit: Argentina, led by Javier Milei, withdrew support over references to Middle East conflict, exposing ideological and geopolitical fissures inside the grouping.
• Europe’s Ukraine Focus: European leaders framed Ukraine as the defining security crisis, while many Global South states foregrounded Gaza and humanitarian issues, deepening narrative divides.

Way Ahead For The G20

• Re-centering Economic Mandate: The G20 must refocus on macro-financial stability, debt sustainability, trade and climate finance, areas where its decisions directly shape outcomes.
• Bridging North–South Agendas: It needs deliberate coalitions to reconcile European security concerns (Ukraine) with Global South priorities (debt, Gaza, development, climate justice).
• Rebuilding US–G20 Engagement: Durable relevance requires re-engagement of the US and other great powers, even while preserving space for African and Asian voices.
• Deliverables Over Declarations: Credibility now depends on implementable initiatives—actual climate finance, debt swaps, SDR re-channelling, infrastructure and energy projects—not just communiqués.
• Synergy with UN & Regional Forums: G20 outcomes should feed into UN processes (COP, SDG Summit) and complement bodies like EAS, AU, BRICS, not compete with them.
• Institutionalising Inclusivity: Permanent mechanisms for Global South consultation, civil society inputs, and vulnerable country representation can anchor G20’s legitimacy beyond big power politics.

Conclusion

• The 2025 Johannesburg summit delivered strong Africa-focused outcomes, yet lacked commitment from major powers. The absence of several leaders highlighted geopolitical divisions. However, the remaining members were able to adopt the declaration, demonstrating the G20's ability to function without full participation. India launched the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership and integrated its proposals into the declaration.Without the US, China and Russia, the G20’s role as the world’s economic steering forum will weaken further. Sustaining its relevance now needs renewed big-power engagement, stronger Global South leadership and real, actionable results. Despite challenges, the Johannesburg G20 successfully focused on the Global South's developmental priorities, establishing frameworks and initiatives for future international cooperation.