G20 Summit | President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers G20 Leaders' Summit closing address

The article is the closing remarks from South Africa's G20 Presidency at the 2024 Summit, likely delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, emphasizing Africa's historic role in hosting the event and placing the continent's development at the forefront of the G20 agenda. Key points include fostering strong partnerships between Africa and the G20 for prosperity; calling for global peace and an end to conflicts; addressing urgent imperatives like eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, and combating climate change. The summit recognized the debt crisis in developing economies as a barrier to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with G20 pledges for debt relief, increased public investment, and inclusive growth to create a 'virtuous cycle' of success. Progress was highlighted in disaster resilience, including South Africa's introduction of voluntary principles for investing in risk reduction and scaling up post-disaster reconstruction, as climate-induced disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable nations. Commitments were made to mobilize finance for a just energy transition, enhancing climate finance to developing countries, strengthening multilateral development banks, supporting initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership, unlocking private capital, ensuring energy security and access, and achieving deep greenhouse gas emission reductions. The G20 reaffirmed support for the Critical Minerals Framework to drive sustainable development. The presidency conducted a 'G20 at 20' review, recommending its continuation for global economic well-being. Building on prior Global South presidencies (Indonesia, India, Brazil), South Africa prioritized inclusive growth, inequality reduction, and sustainable development for the Global South. The Leaders' Declaration represents concrete actions for shared global concerns, reaffirming multilateral cooperation and accelerating progress toward the 2030 SDGs and the Pact for the Future. The speech underscores solidarity, justice, and prosperity, urging collective action to overcome challenges and ensure no one is left behind, before formally closing the summit and handing over the gavel to the United States for the next presidency.