Ramaphosa pledges global action as South Africa leads G20

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa will use its presidency of the G20 countries to harness global commitment to tackle the world’s challenges.

Ramaphosa officially launched South Africa’s presidency in the G20 in Parliament on Tuesday. He says they will also achieve the Millennium development goals by 2030.

South Africa makes history by being the first country on the continent to preside over the G20 countries. The theme for South Africa’s presidency is “solidarity, equality and sustainability”.

The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.

“South Africa will seek to harness global commitment and capabilities to confront the challenges that the world faces. We all seek to achieve more rapid, more inclusive and economic growth – that is what informs what we need to do as the G20 countries,” says Ramaphosa.

The President says the African development agenda as well as the development of the global south will also be strengthened.

“We will use this moment to bring development priorities of the African continent and more broadly the global south more firmly on the agenda of the G20.”

Also on the agenda is disparities between the haves and the have-nots.

“The disparities between wealth and development between these countries, we all know, are unjust, unsustainable and undesirable. By promoting equality we will want the G20 to strive to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunities for all individuals and all nations in the world. we aim to break down the divisions of economic status, the divisions on gender, race, geography and any other characteristics that divide people,” the President explains.

VIDEO| President Cyril Ramaphosa launches SA’s G20 Presidency:

South Africa assumed the presidency of the G20 from Brazil’s President Lula da Silva.

Ramaphosa says that South Africa will focus on issues including climate change and conflicts.

South Africa takes over the presidency from other developing countries like Brazil, India and Indonesia. But it will hand over the presidency to the global superpower, the United States of America next year under President Donald Trump.

Ramaphosa says, “I invited him to come to South Africa to come on a state visit as well as when he comes to attend the G20, and obviously, work will ensue seeing how best that can be achieved. But we do expect him to attend as America. The United States is the next president of the G20, so I look forward to handing over the gavel to President Trump.”

South Africa will host about 130 meetings during its presidency of the G20.