Johannesburg – Nearly all of the 133 official G20 preparatory meetings have been held, with the 4th Sherpa Meeting, Social Summit, and Leaders’ Summit set to conclude this week.
Giving an update on Monday, 17 November 2025, about South Africa’s readiness to host the two-day 2025 G20 Summit, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said: “Of the 133 official G20 meetings, 130 have already taken place”.
The 2025 G20 Summit will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 22 to 23, marking the first time the summit takes place on African soil.
When South Africa assumed the G20 Chairship last year, the world was navigating a precarious geopolitical climate.
“Our response was clear and courageous: the world needs more Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability. These are not just words; they are the pillars of our Presidency, rooted deeply in the African philosophy of Ubuntu,” said Minister Lamola.
“Ubuntu reminds us that ‘I am because we are’ is a timeless truth that resonates with the global commitment to Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the call to ‘Leave No One Behind’.”
He said South Africa’s G20 Presidency has not only elevated African voices but also galvanised global momentum toward a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future.
South Africa worked hand-in-hand with the African Union to amplify Africa’s voice in global economic governance, while ensuring that the development priorities of the continent and the Global South find expression firmly on the agenda of the G20
“We are not just participants in global affairs; we are determined to shape them. Our presidency builds for the future; it does not preserve the ways of the past,” said Minister Lamola.
South Africa’s G20 Presidency has been anchored on four overarching priorities, namely:
- Strengthening disaster resilience and response;
- Ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries;
- Mobilising finance for a just energy transition; and
- Harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
In addition to four overarching priorities, South Africa also established three Task Forces, which focused on:
- Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialization, Employment, and Reduced Inequality.
- Food Security; and
- Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance, and Innovation for Sustainable Development.
“As a continent, we are still reeling from a world order that prized division over unity, inequality over haircuts and plunder over preservation,” said Minister Lamola.
Since South Africa took over the G20 Presidency, President Ramaphosa has committed to building a better Africa and ensuring inclusivity.
Minister Lamola stated that South Africa’s G20 Presidency has focused on advancing the global South and Africa’s economic and financial interests.
“We have also advocated for a significant reform of the international financial architecture to make it more equitable, inclusive, and responsive to the development and climate financing needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa,” said Minister Lamola.
He said preparations for the summit were on track, with numerous Heads of State and Government from G20 member countries and guest countries having confirmed their participation.
Heads of International Organisations. In total, 42 countries are confirmed for participation at various levels.
This includes twenty G20 members (excluding the United States), 16 guest countries, and 6 countries representing Regional Economic Communities in Africa, the Caribbean, and East Asia.
US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Argentine President Javier Milei will not be attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend.
Trump justified his non-attendance by citing, without evidence, alleged serious “human rights abuses” in South Africa, including claims that Afrikaners are “being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated”.
However, Minister Lamola said South Africa does not consider the absence of some key heads of state at this weekend’s G20 Leaders’ Summit a snub or undermining of Africa.
