The2025 G20 Johannesburg summit was thetwentieth meeting of theGroup 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 leaderXi Jinping and Russian presidentVladimir Putin, although they did send participating delegations. TheUnited States did not participate in the summit, despite being a G20 member.
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 Nations2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It marked the fourth consecutive G20 presidency held by a member of theGlobal South andBRICS, followingIndonesia in2022,India in2023 andBrazil in2024. South African officials stated that development issues affecting Africa and other Global South countries would be central to the presidency. PresidentCyril 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 MinisterRonald Lamola stated in response that the G20 “should send a clear message that the world can move on with or without the US".[6]
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]
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:
US PresidentDonald Trump was boycotting the event and not sending any representative, citing discredited claims of awhite genocide againstAfrikaners in South Africa and labelling the hosting of the summit there "a total disgrace".[20] In support of Trump, Argentina's PresidentJavier Milei also joined the boycott, designating Foreign MinisterPablo Quirno as his substitute.[21]
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 PresidentEmmanuel 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.[26]
Canadian Prime MinisterMark 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.[27]
The following leaders were invited to the summit:[28][29][30]
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 ofmultipolarity.[34][35]
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.[36] 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).
^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]
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South Africa
Algeria
Egypt
Ethiopia
Finland
Ireland
Jamaica
Malaysia
Namibia
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Qatar
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Spain
United Arab Emirates
Vietnam
Zimbabwe
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