G20 Summit | Leaders of Africa must come together

The article is a transcript from SABC's live coverage of the final day of the G20 Leaders Summit hosted in South Africa in 2025 at the Nazareth Precinct. It highlights the adoption of the leaders' declaration from the previous day, ongoing closed sessions, bilateral meetings—including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Summit—and the summit's emphasis on multilateralism. An interview with Dr. Oscar van Heerden, a senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, discusses key outcomes: India's commitments to deepen partnerships with South Africa and Africa, including investments in education, digital skills, and AI technology to leverage Africa's young population and critical minerals for global tech advancements. The conversation stresses Africa's shift toward beneficiation—adding value to minerals domestically rather than mere extraction—to capture economic benefits from its 30% market share in key industries, moving beyond being a dumping ground for foreign goods. Dr. van Heerden calls for African unity via the African Union (AU)'s G20 membership and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to counter divide-and-rule tactics, such as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's selective engagements with African nations. He urges silencing conflicts in hotspots like eastern DRC and Sudan, with South Africa providing continent-wide leadership, as evidenced by successfully hosting Africa's first G20. Structural changes needed include sustainable financing for beneficiation (e.g., smelters, energy), with positive signs like EU's €12 billion for just transition, China's $10 billion for tech, domestic budget surplus, improved logistics (ports now at 3-4 days vs. 21), and 140,000 new jobs. On climate change, concerns arise over Trump's skepticism and past U.S. Paris Agreement withdrawal, especially post-COP30's lack of fossil fuel cuts, but the summit demonstrates global consensus against denialism, with Ramaphosa countering Trump's boycott threats as G7 allies participated. The U.S. absence is noted as placing it 'on the menu,' with anticipated backlash but the declaration's clever wording thanks South Africa and transitions to future hosts (UK and South Korea), affirming South Africa's troika role ensures participation without invitation. Implications include Africa's potential for strategic growth through unity and investment, though success hinges on ending conflicts and securing commitments beyond rhetoric.