Chair's Summary of the First G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting

G20 SA
The 1st Foreign Ministers’ Meeting during South Africa’s Presidency of the G20. The meeting was held on 20-21 February 2025 in Nasrec, Johannesburg,
25 March 2025
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G20 in South Africa 2025 (Johannesburg)

Your Excellences, fellow Foreign Ministers

Heads of Delegations

Distinguished Delegates

Let me first express South Africa's deep appreciation to you all for what has been a very productive First Foreign Ministers' Meeting under South Africa's G20 Presidency. I further thank the members of the G20 Troika, Brazil and the United States of America, for their support and cooperation during our G20 Presidency.

This meeting had two main purposes:

  1. To have a high-level strategic discussion on the global geopolitical environment and its impact on our work; and
  2. A reflection on South Africa's G20 Presidency priorities and High-Level Deliverables.

The meeting was opened by H.E. President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa who, inter alia, welcomed Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations, and elaborated on South Africa's priorities.

The First G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting under South Africa's Presidency:

  • Noted that the First G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting under South Africa's Presidency was historic as it was the first G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the African Continent.
  • Expressed support for the theme of South Africa's G20 Presidency: Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability and its priorities and High-Level Deliverables, namely: Strengthening disaster resilience; Ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries; Mobilising finance for a Just Energy Transition; and Harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and development; in relation to  High-Level Deliverables:  Task Force One – Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Reduced Inequality; Task Force Two – Food Security; and Task Force Three – Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development.   Furthermore, we have proposed the following Additional Initiatives: Review of the Work of the G20; a Cost of Capital Review; a Broadened Compact with Africa 2.0; and an Initiative on Critical Minerals.
  • The South African Presidency took note of the fruitful discussions and inputs on the various priorities and High-Level Deliverables which will enrich our work as we elaborate in-depth on these in the various streams of work during 2025. We can assure you that all the views expressed will be considered as we progress with our work during this year. We look forward to the active participation and contributions of all your delegations.
  • Reaffirmed the role of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and underscored the collective responsibility of the G20 for the effective stewardship of the global economy, fostering the conditions for sustainable, resilient and inclusive global growth, as a critical element of the broader multilateral system.
  • Noted with concern the slow progress being made in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. To this end, the meeting stressed the need for urgent action to accelerate efforts and reaffirm the G20's strong commitment to the SDGs in line with the theme, Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.
  • Stressed that ongoing conflicts across the globe are detrimental to economic development and the attainment of the SDGs. The impact of war on education and health was highlighted as a major concern by some participants. To this end, sustainable investment in conflict prevention and peacebuilding was underscored.
  • Concerning ongoing conflicts and war in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, the meeting reiterated that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter.
  • Affirmed that all parties in conflicts must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Guided by these principles, there was agreement to support all efforts towards a just peace in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other major conflicts around the globe. 
  • Recognised the widening geopolitical divisions which have contributed to fostering a climate of distrust, thus threatening to unravel progress made to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, climate change, pandemics, nuclear proliferation and armed conflict.
  • Expressed support for South Africa's proposed working methods on managing geopolitical issues during its G20 Presidency namely; that the G20 Sherpas, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Leaders will engage on these matters and that the Working Groups will focus exclusively on technical issues.
  • Noted that 2025 will mark the 80 th  Anniversary of the United Nations and reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening multilateralism and that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter.
  • Underscored the need to reform the international system of global governance, inclusive of the international financial architecture, the multilateral trading system, and the multilateral development banks.
  • Further stressed the need to reform the United Nations to make it fit for purpose and relevant to the current international reality. This includes reform of the Security Council.
  • Expressed support to the forthcoming Fourth Financing for Development (FFD4) Conference set to take place in Seville, Spain in June 2025 and the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) which will convene in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
  • There was support and recognition that African voices need to be heard and elevated in the work of the G20 as well as in finding solutions for addressing the world's most pressing global challenges.
  • South Africa noted the requests made by delegations regarding specific information on the operationalisation of the Task Forces as well as the Cost of Capital Review.
  • Recalled paragraph 84 of the 2024 G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders' Declaration, where G20 Leaders made a commitment to "evaluate the G20's first full cycle of presidencies under South Africa's Presidency and, with full respect to the principles agreed at the Cannes Summit in 2011, provide recommendations to the second cycle, including a roadmap for future presidencies".
  • South Africa undertook to present a four-stage roadmap of this proposed G20 review, including a briefing on the recommended approach and survey methodology, which will involve the participation of G20 members, guest countries and invited stakeholders. The final report will be presented for adoption at the final G20 Sherpa meeting taking place from 16 – 19 November 2025.
G20 SA
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa receives Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation on the margins of the #G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

I thank you.

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