South African President Cyril Ramaphosa openly acknowledged — with humour but also unmistakable honesty — how demanding it was to host the G20 summit for the first time on African soil. During bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa remarked that Pretoria might have “run away” had it known the scale of the challenge involved. His comment drew laughter from both delegations, setting a warm tone for the meeting.
Ramaphosa expressed deep appreciation for India’s strong support as South Africa assumed the presidency, emphasising that Pretoria closely observed New Delhi’s successful stewardship of the group in 2023. He described India’s G20 summit — held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where the African Union was added as a permanent member — as “spectacular,” saying that South Africa’s own arrangements felt far smaller by comparison. Modi responded with a reassuring, “Small is always beautiful.”
Following the bilateral meeting, Ramaphosa highlighted that South Africa’s presidency was built on the foundation laid by three major Global South nations — India, Brazil and Indonesia. He said Pretoria had learned extensively from these countries’ approaches and credited them for shaping the groundwork on which South Africa could host a consensus-driven summit. The adoption of a joint Declaration at the start of the Leaders’ Summit, he said, demonstrated the continuing value of the G20 as a forum capable of advancing collective action despite geopolitical divides.
Ramaphosa noted that the Declaration reaffirmed the commitment of G20 members to multilateral cooperation, the defence of sovereignty, and the pursuit of shared goals that transcend political differences. He welcomed the participation of all member-states and invited nations, saying their unity was crucial in upholding the G20’s status as the premier platform for global economic coordination.
Setting out South Africa’s priorities, Ramaphosa said that “the greatest opportunity for prosperity in the 21st century lies in Africa.” He stressed that Pretoria aimed to place African growth, development, and global partnerships at the centre of the G20 agenda. The Declaration, he noted, reflects calls to end conflicts worldwide, achieve a just and lasting peace, eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and intensify collective action against climate change.
He also highlighted commitments to support low- and middle-income nations struggling with debt vulnerabilities, emphasising that global prosperity depends on inclusive development and a renewed spirit of cooperation between Africa and the world.
