G20 Presidency Advances Global South Agenda Amid SDG, Geopolitical Challenges

South Africa, holding the 2025 G20 Presidency, convened its third Sherpa meeting this week at the Sun City Resort. The forum brought together senior officials from the world’s 20 largest economies to deliberate on pressing global issues, including sustainable development, geopolitical conflicts, and the structural transformation of African economies.

The meeting served as a crucial checkpoint for the G20’s agenda under South Africa’s leadership, focusing on the acceleration of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), equitable economic transitions, and the strengthening of regional and global cooperation.

Urgency to Deliver on SDGs

South Africa’s G20 Sous Sherpa, Xolisa Mabhongo, emphasised the urgency of achieving the SDGs, noting that the world is only five years away from the 2030 deadline. “This is worrisome,” he told reporters, underlining the pivotal role of the G20—which accounts for 85% of the world’s GDP—in catalysing progress.

Mabhongo, who also serves as Deputy Director-General for Global Governance and Continental Agenda in South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, framed the SDGs as a global responsibility. He urged G20 nations to “push hard” in the final years leading up to 2030, stressing the interconnected nature of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social equity.

A Platform for Geopolitical Dialogue

Though the summit was primarily focused on development, the Sherpa meeting also addressed global tensions, including the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rather than delving into political specifics, the discussions emphasized achieving a “just peace,” rooted in international law and humanitarian principles.

Mabhongo noted that South Africa’s leadership aimed to “build consensus around values rather than divisions,” reinforcing its commitment to inclusive diplomacy and non-alignment in international affairs.

Presidency Priorities: Resilience, Resources, and Regional Equity

South Africa outlined four core priorities for its G20 Presidency:

1. Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience In a world increasingly affected by climate-induced disasters, the focus on resilience seeks to enhance preparedness and response capacities, especially for vulnerable nations in Africa and the Global South.

2. Debt Sustainability Acknowledging the debt burdens faced by many developing countries, especially post-COVID-19, the G20 under South Africa aims to forge inclusive debt reform mechanisms that promote fiscal stability and sustainable growth.

3. Critical Minerals and Value Addition in Africa Mabhongo stressed the need to overhaul Africa’s raw material extraction model. “We do not want raw materials to be just taken from Africa,” he said. “We want African countries to have space for beneficiation and manufacturing.” The emphasis on critical minerals ties into global energy transitions, where cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements are pivotal.

4. Just Energy Transition (JET) As the world shifts to low-carbon economies, the G20 will work toward equitable transition mechanisms. The JET agenda focuses on ensuring that African and developing countries receive the finance, technology, and policy support necessary to adopt clean energy without sacrificing growth.

Continuity from Previous Presidencies

South Africa’s agenda reflects continuity with the themes of past G20 Presidencies, particularly those of Indonesia, India, and Brazil. One notable carryover is Brazil’s initiative—the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. South Africa is adapting this legacy through the creation of a task force on food security with both regional and global mandates.

“This is not a deviation from what others have done,” Mabhongo explained. “It’s about strengthening and localizing implementation.”

U.S. Absence and G20 Cohesion

The absence of U.S. representation at the Sherpa meeting was noted but did not dampen the spirit of collaboration. South African officials emphasized their openness to continued U.S. engagement and reaffirmed the Presidency's commitment to continuity and multilateral cooperation.

Looking Ahead

As global inequality deepens and conflict persists, South Africa's G20 leadership appears poised to amplify the voices of developing nations. By spotlighting resilience, equitable growth, and the transformation of extractive economies, South Africa seeks to reorient global governance toward a more inclusive and just order.

Through the Sherpa meetings and other working groups, the G20 Presidency will continue to build momentum ahead of the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit later this year, where decisions made in Sun City could shape multilateral priorities for years to come.