G20 Leaders' Summit | Delegates urged not to allow Summit's integrity, credibility to be weakened

In his address to G20 leaders, South African President Sraaposa highlighted the country's efforts to maintain the G20's integrity during its presidency, the first for an African nation. He urged renewed global action to address inequality, emphasizing the developmental priorities of the global south and Africa as essential for poverty alleviation. South Africa has worked to permanently integrate these priorities into the G20 agenda, benefiting not only Africa and the global south but the world at large. The speech also addressed reforming the international financial architecture to make institutions more inclusive and resilient amid challenges like the global debt crisis, which G20 leaders will discuss over the next two days. President Roa (possibly a reference to the same leader) stressed the need to uphold the G20's stature and credibility, particularly in response to the US decision to send a junior embassy staffer for the presidency handover, which he viewed as diminishing the summit's importance. He called on the summit to strengthen the G20 rather than weaken it, and noted curiosity about the US stance when it assumes the presidency next month. The report is from Skea Masgo of SBC News in Johannesburg.