G20 Summit | Leaders' declaration adopted by consensus

The article is a transcript from SABC News, the host broadcaster for the G20 South Africa 2025, discussing the recently published Leaders' Declaration. The 18-page document outlines forward-looking policies for G20 nations, emphasizing interconnectedness through the African concept of Ubuntu—'I am because you are'—which infuses the summit with African values and character, highlighting an 'African G20.' Key points include the just energy transition, with a focus on voluntary infrastructure investments for low-cost clean cooking solutions to address health risks from toxic fuels in developing nations, particularly rural African communities where women still gather wood for cooking, illustrating stark development gaps amid Africa's diversity (urban progress in cities like Nairobi vs. rural challenges). The declaration stresses leaving no one behind, aligning with SDGs, and links basic needs like cooking to advanced issues such as AI, critical minerals, and economic growth. It underscores the need for good governance to ensure resources benefit all, not just elites, and calls for skills development, political will, and Africa's leadership in AI (e.g., fostering an 'African Elon Musk') to avoid existential threats from technology. Follow-through on G20 commitments is tracked at around 71%, boding well for implementation. An upcoming closed session will discuss critical minerals, decent work, and AI, with emphasis on Africa's beneficiation of minerals for economic gains and integration into the AI future. The segment notes surprises in agreements reached, rejecting initial expectations of debates, and portrays the declaration as a high-level policy document with a 'common touch' for inclusive global progress.