South Africa’s G20 presidency: Advancing national foreign policy goals in a multilateral setting

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This article is part of the series—Raisina Edit 2025

According to Anton Chekov, each element introduced within a literary narrative must serve a purpose. “If in the first act, you have hung a pistol on the wall,” he wrote, “then in the following one, it should be fired. Otherwise, don’t put it there.” The ‘Reform Gun’ has long been poised for action in global governance but remains unused. It has been a fixture in the theatre of multilateralism, acknowledged but left untouched by institutions like the G20.

Following South Africa’s assumption of the G20 presidency on 1 December 2024, bold, transformative action is needed to redefine the global order towards solidarity, equality, and sustainability—its central theme. South African revolutionary and anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko, once stated, “The great powers have transformed the world industrially, but the great gift still must come from Africa—giving the world a more human face.” This presidency is a chance for the Global South to lead reforms and reshape multilateralism for a multipolar world, driving an agenda prioritising humanity over hegemony.

Having chaired the G20 in 2007 and hosting the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Kleinmond, South Africa, is no stranger to leading the G20. A vigorous discussion on governance reforms led to a final communiqué titled ‘Sharing–Influence, Responsibility, and Knowledge,’ which called for equitable International Monetary Fund (IMF) quota distribution and enhanced surveillance mechanisms. It introduced concepts like a Reserve Augmentation Line for emerging markets. While acknowledging the 2007 initiative to understand Africa’s challenges better, later G20 meetings did not implement systemic changes for equitable representation. Year after year, G20 members made promises, yet each presidency has retreated without pulling the trigger.

South Africa’s strategic pillars and global leadership vacuum

South Africa, guided by its four strategic foreign policy pillars—national interests, the African agenda, South-South cooperation, and multilateralism—assumes the G20 presidency amid a global order that is in flux. The United States, once a steward of multilateralism, is retreating from crucial institutions it helped establish. The United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s boycott of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg on 20-21 February 2025, citing ‘anti-Americanism, reflects broader American disengagement. This boycott and Ambassador Dorothy Shea’s remarks at the United Nations on 18 February 2025, threatening to reassess US support for multilateral bodies, reveal a growing rift. Meanwhile, the G20 grapples with unresolved crises: crushing debt burdens on low-income nations, unfulfilled climate finance promises, and failures to convert solidarity into action.

The respective presidencies held by Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024) over the G20  have established the groundwork for South Africa’s efforts towards amplifying the Global South’s voice through this platform. South Africa must build on this momentum, using the G20 to assess governance and economic risks and redefine ‘fairness’. Fairness is not charity; it represents equity in access to resources, representation in decision-making, and resilience against systemic inequities. The US withdrawal intensifies the urgency—if the Global North falters, the Global South must lead.

For South Africa, the strategic priorities of the Government of National Unity’s 7^th administration—poverty reduction, state capability, and inclusive growth—align with multilateralism. The risks of inaction are explicit: economic instability from debt-ridden nations, governance vacuums from eroding trust, and a global order chaos.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit in Africa coincides with the final stretch of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Africa might miss most of its SDG targets unless it mobilises the estimated US$1.3 trillion a year required to achieve the SDGs by 2030. If there was ever a time to fire the ‘Reform Gun’, it is now.

The role of the G20 in reform: From promises to action

The G20 has long been a stage for grand promises—debt relief, climate finance, trade equity—yet its history is marred by inaction. In 2007, President Thabo Mbeki called it “a central player in the global financial architecture,” but the structural challenges he identified remain unresolved. The ‘Reform Gun’—loaded with pledges like International Monetary Fund (IMF) quota reform and World Bank restructuring—remains unfired. South Africa’s 2025 G20 presidency is a vital opportunity to turn rhetoric into tangible outcomes, delivering debt sustainability, climate finance, and green industrialisation.

The global landscape is shifting. The US’s retreat and the Global South’s rising influence signal a new world order. As the last G20 president before the US in 2026, South Africa must rally the group to fire the ‘Reform Gun’, turning commitments into action. The African Union’s full G20 membership, secured with South Africa’s advocacy during the Indian G20 Presidency, amplifies this opportunity. South Africa must now advance a reform agenda prioritising humanity over hegemony.

A crucial target is the Bretton Woods institutions. The IMF and World Bank must rebalance to reflect today’s world, adjust voting shares to enhance African and emerging market influence, ensure fair borrowing terms, and develop credible debt relief proposals. Climate finance must advance beyond promises, necessitating robust funding and transparent reporting for countries encountering climate change-related issues.

Tax justice is another urgent priority. Africa loses US$88.6 billion annually to illicit financial flows, draining resources vital for achieving the 2030 SDGs. South Africa must champion the UN Tax Convention and push for a global framework to curb these losses and fund the SDGs.

Debt has a chokehold on the Global South, where millions prioritise loans over development and infrastructure programmes. South Africa must insist on comprehensive relief, fairer credit ratings, and lower capital costs. This solidarity empowers nations to invest in their people rather than their creditors.

The multilateral trading system needs reform. Weakened by inequities, the World Trade Organization (WTO) must evolve to support sustainable development. South Africa should lead the G20 in reshaping trade rules, ensuring green industrialisation benefits resource-rich nations, and cultivating low-carbon growth.

Inaction incurs significant costs. As global power shifts to multipolarity, stalled reforms increase distrust in the Global South. This frustration echoes the 1955 Bandung Conference, where 29 Asian and African nations rejected colonialism and asserted sovereignty. Their principles of human rights, quality, and non-intervention resonate with South Africa’s G20 theme. The Global South must leverage this presidency to redefine economic and governance pathways.

During his 2025 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “[the G20] is an opportunity to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda. Our G20 presidency is a valuable opportunity for South Africa to advance efforts towards greater global economic growth and sustainable development.” This calls for bold actions: accelerating SDG-centric progress, negotiating debt relief, mobilising finance for the African Continental Free Trade Area, and leveraging critical minerals for inclusive growth. The ‘Reform Gun’, primed by decades of inequity, must fire to disrupt extractive patterns. South Africa’s push for a G20 framework on green industrialisation aims to ensure the energy transition benefits resource-rich nations, not just their exploiters.

South Africa’s presidency presents a brief window of opportunity to implement the G20’s promises. By firing the ‘Reform Gun’ on Bretton Woods reform, tax justice, debt resolution, and trade equity, South Africa can guide the world towards a more just equilibrium, demonstrating that the G20’s relevance relies on results, not words.

Action for the G20 and beyond: No country stands alone

The G20 risks a déjà vu cycle, repeating debates and promises from 2007 and subsequent years without progress. In 2025, South Africa must disrupt this and steer the reform agenda. No nation can face these challenges alone; solidarity is the G20’s strength. The global financial system’s structural flaws, debt traps, unequal trade, and climate vulnerability require collective action. South Africa’s G20 presidency theme—disaster resilience, debt sustainability, climate finance, and mineral beneficiation—echoes the Global South’s agenda.

South Africa’s presidency, ending on 30 November 2025, is the final act in a cycle of Global South leadership before the US resumes the helm. It must leave a legacy of action: a G20 that delivers on promises, a balanced world order, and multilateralism embodying Biko’s vision. This is not a plea for reform—it is a demand. The gun is loaded, the trigger is primed, and the target is clear—a global system with a human face forged by Africa’s hand.

Lukhanyo Neer is the Chief Operating Officer at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation