Ramaphosa opens G20 summit by stressing need for 'multilateralism'

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the G20 summit in Johannesburg by emphasizing multilateralism as essential to confront global threats, addressing leaders from major economies except U.S. President Donald Trump, who boycotted the event. He expressed confidence in adopting a Leaders' Declaration, with most points already agreed, and identified widening wealth and development gaps as the greatest threat to sustainable growth, urging the breakdown of economic, gender, racial, and geographic barriers. The declaration's adoption would signal that multilateralism remains alive and well, reinforcing global cooperation.