South Africa can influence discussions on the global economy and foreign policy before the US and its president-elect, Donald Trump, take up the reins of the G20 presidency at the end of 2025.

South Africa has unveiled a bold agenda for its Group of 20 (G20) presidency over the coming year, which includes a strong push for debt reform that will see low-income and developing countries provided with cheap money for their development ambitions.

It is the first time an African country will lead the 20-year-old G20, which includes most of the world's major economies responsible for 80% of the world's economic output. These include, among others, the US, China, Russia, Ukraine, France and Canada.

The country's G20 presidency started on Sunday, 1 December 2024 and will run for 12 months.

South Africa has an opportunity to influence discussions on the global economy and foreign policy before the G20 presidency is handed over to the US and its president-elect, Donald Trump.

G20 meetings began in Johannesburg on Monday, 9 December with South African government officials unveiling that the focus over the coming year will be particularly on Africa's needs, and ensuring that multilateral development banks provide cheap finance to developing countries.

Unlike commercial banks, multilateral development banks offer concessional funding with low interest rates (less than 3%) and longer repayment schedules...