G20 Leaders' Summit | Global South & Africa's priorities optimised

The article covers the historic G20 summit hosted by South Africa in Johannesburg, marking the first time the event has been held on the African continent and granting the African Union a permanent seat, symbolizing Africa's growing global influence. Occurring amid global calls to end poverty, reduce inequality, address climate change, and tackle the mounting debt burdens of developing economies, the summit focused on economic regulation, climate action, and multilateral cooperation rather than geopolitical crises. South Africa received praise for its organization and for reviving multilateralism in a tense geopolitical environment, with leaders commending the warm hospitality and Johannesburg's backdrop. Key discussions consolidated progress on debt restructuring and emphasized transformative actions in disaster risk reduction, food security, and climate-resilient agriculture, as highlighted by Namibia's initiatives to boost domestic production, reduce import dependence, and enhance infrastructure like irrigation and storage through partnerships, accessible finance, and technology transfer. Despite the U.S. boycotting the event, the handover of the G20 presidency to the U.S. proceeded symbolically, with a high-ranking South African official passing the baton to a U.S. representative. The summit concluded with a widely accepted declaration by key members, eager to implement global changes, underscoring Africa's pivotal role in the future world economy.