Ramaphosa points to an ‘overwhelming consensus’ for a G20 declaration

President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the G20 Leaders’ Summit by criticizing the US for actions that threatened to undermine South Africa’s historic first African presidency, urging members to safeguard the group's integrity and credibility. Despite the US absence and alleged attempts to block a joint declaration, negotiators achieved consensus on an outcome document with support from BRICS nations and the EU, including French President Emmanuel Macron who insisted the summit proceed undeterred. The declaration's adoption reinforces multilateralism's value, sending a global message of hope, solidarity, and commitment to collaborative solutions for shared challenges.