Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Ronald Lamola,
Distinguished Ministers of Foreign Affairs of G20 Member States and Invited Guest Countries,
Representatives of International Organisations and Regional Economic Communities,
Heads of Delegation,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to this first Foreign Ministers’ meeting under South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
It is significant that the G20 Leaders’ Summit later this year will be convened for the first time on African soil.
This highlights the growing importance of the continent in global economic, political and environmental discussions.
Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and faces unique challenges, such as the impact of climate change, development needs and the effects of global trade dynamics.
The Summit’s location underscores the need for African voices to be heard on critical global issues, like sustainable development, the digital economy and the shift toward green energy.
It is a great opportunity to promote greater collaboration between African nations and the rest of the world.
Geopolitical tensions, rising intolerance, conflict and war, climate change, pandemics and energy and food insecurity threaten an already fragile global coexistence.
These challenges are interconnected.
They require responses that are inclusive and coordinated.
Yet there is a lack of consensus among major powers, including in the G20, on how to respond to these issues of global significance.
Extreme poverty and growing inequality within and among nations weigh heavily on the conscience of the world.
We are just five years away from 2030, the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
As the international community, we committed ourselves to this ambitious agenda to end poverty and hunger, to protect the planet, to achieve gender equality, universal education and health coverage, and to promote decent work and sustainable economic growth.
Our commitment to achieve these targets we must not waver.
The nations of the world look to the G20 for leadership on the most pressing issues confronting our world.
Just as cooperation supported the progress of early humans, our modern-day challenges can only be resolved through collaboration, partnership and solidarity.
That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency.
We would like our G20 Presidency to be one in which all voices are heard and in which all views count.
The G20 represents over two-thirds of the world’s population.
Its decisions and policies must reflect the needs and aspirations of all who form part of the G20 family.
The G20 must also seek to reflect the needs and aspirations of all people who call this planet home.
This year marks 80 years since the United Nations was founded and the UN Charter was adopted.
The United Nations was established to reaffirm fundamental human rights, to promote social progress and to save successive generations from the scourge of war.
While these essential goals of the United Nations remain, the world has changed in fundamental ways.
The UN must change accordingly.
We continue to call for the UN Security Council, the multilateral trading system and the international financial architecture to be reformed to make them more representative, more agile and more responsive to today’s global realities.
As the G20, it is critical that the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law remain at the centre of all our endeavours.
The conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in Sudan, in the Sahel and in Gaza continue to exact a heavy human toll and heighten global insecurity.
South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas as a crucial first step toward ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
This ceasefire must lay the basis for a just and lasting peace in line with UN resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters.
As the G20, we must continue to advocate for diplomatic solutions.
Our own experience as South Africa is that the peaceful resolution of conflict through inclusive dialogue is the foremost guarantor of sustainable, lasting peace.
Your Excellencies,
The climate crisis is no longer a threat. It is a catastrophic reality.
Last year, global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time.
The impact of climate change places a disproportionate and unjust burden on the poorest and most vulnerable.
As the G20, we must seize this moment of crisis to innovate and drive sustainable solutions.
We must remain true to the original G20 mandate of promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.
In line with this mandate, South Africa has identified four priorities for its G20 Presidency.
Firstly, we should take action to strengthen disaster resilience and response.
Climate-induced natural disasters affect countries around the world.
But they have a particularly devastating impact on countries that cannot afford the costs of recovery and rebuilding.
We will call on G20 Leaders to urge the global community, including international financial institutions, development banks and the private sector, to scale up post-disaster reconstruction.
Secondly, we should take action to ensure debt sustainability for low-income countries.
Developing economies are currently experiencing the highest borrowing costs in nearly two decades.
Debt payments are crowding out vital domestic expenditure and diverting critical resources away from development.
More than 3.3 billion people live in countries where interest payments on debt exceed education or health spending.
The G20 needs to renew its efforts to advance debt sustainability, with a particular emphasis on African countries.
Thirdly, we believe that it is important to mobilise finance for a just energy transition.
Although climate change affects developed and developing economies alike, the impact is uneven.
Every nation has a responsibility to contribute to the global climate effort in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
Those most responsible for climate change have a duty and responsibility to support those least responsible.
G20 Leaders should secure agreement on increasing the quality and quantity of climate finance flows to developing economy countries.
This includes strengthening multilateral development banks, enhancing and streamlining support for country platforms such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership, and leveraging private capital more effectively.
Fourthly, we will seek to harness critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
We will champion an inclusive G20 framework on green industrialisation and investment to promote value addition and beneficiation of critical minerals.
South Africa will seek to take forward the recommendations of the 2024 report of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.
Your Excellencies,
Long before our freedom was won, South Africa’s founding father Nelson Mandela spoke of a society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
This universal aspiration is reflected in the UN Charter.
As a premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 needs to play a leading role in the global agenda for people, planet and prosperity.
As we strive towards a common purpose, let us remember that cooperation is our greatest strength.
Let us seek to find common ground through constructive engagement.
Through the G20, let us set the coordinates of a new course for human progress, one that is founded on solidarity, equality and sustainability.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria