Despite the warm welcome foreign dignitaries received at the meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, the “lack of consensus among major powers” was addressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who called for global inclusivity, cooperation, and reform as South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency for the first time.
Ramaphosa pointed out the significance of hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit on African soil, saying that Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and faces unique challenges, such as climate change impact, development needs, and global trade dynamics.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has hailed the event as historic,” as it was the first G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the African continent”. Lamola called it a “very productive” meeting, with high-level strategic discussions on the global geopolitical environment and its impact on their work.
