India, Brazil and Indonesia laid foundation for G20 Summit in South Africa: Ramaphosa

Johannesburg, Nov 23 (PTI) India, Brazil and Indonesia had laid the foundation for the G20 Leaders’ Summit that ended on Sunday afternoon following two days of deliberations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his closing address.

“We learnt a lot from what Indonesia, India and Brazil did. In many ways, what we see having unfolded here was based on the foundations that those three countries of the Global South put in place,” Ramaphosa said.

“The G20 South Africa Leaders’ Declaration is more than words. It is a commitment to concrete action that will improve the lives of people in every part of the world.

“Our agreement on a Declaration during this summit demonstrates the value of the G20 as a forum that can facilitate joint action on issues of shared concern not only for the leaders, but shared concern for the peoples of the world.

"More than that, it reaffirms our renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and our recognition that our shared goals outweigh our differences,” the president said.

Thanking the G20 members for their attendance, Ramaphosa said their top of form commitment had been vital in reaffirming the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

“We have met this year in the face of significant challenges and demonstrated our ability to come together even in times of great difficulty to pursue a better world,” he said.

The president reaffirmed that the greatest opportunity for prosperity in the 21st century lies in Africa.

“We have sought to place Africa’s growth and development at the heart of the G20’s agenda. Harnessing that opportunity will require a strong partnership between Africa and the G20 and indeed between Africa and the rest of the world,” Ramaphosa said.

Reiterating elements of the Declaration, Ramaphosa said the G20 has called for an end to conflicts and wars around the globe and for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, to end poverty in all its forms, to reduce inequality within and among countries and to take urgent action to combat climate change.

“The G20 has pledged to extend support to low and middle income countries as they confront debt vulnerabilities,” he added.

Other decisions Ramaphosa reflected on included mobilising finance for a just energy transition, climate change actions, energy security, affordability and universal access and the importance of supporting developing economies in their transition to low carbon emissions.

“During this summit, we reaffirmed our support for the G20 Critical Minerals Framework, a cooperative blueprint to ensure that critical mineral resources drive prosperity and sustainable development across the globe,” Ramaphosa added.

He also highlighted the mandate given to the South African Presidency at the 2024 Rio de Janeiro Summit, which led to the G20@20 Review, drawing on the diverse perspectives of participating members and guest countries.

“It is our hope that recommendations of the review will serve as a helpful guide for the G20 to ensure that it remains fit for purpose in an ever-changing world,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the G20 must act boldly and act together to create an environment of inclusive growth, reduced inequality and sustainable development.

“We have laid the foundation of solidarity, now we must build the walls of justice and the roof of prosperity. Let us move forward together, demonstrating to the world that we have the capacity to confront and overcome the world’s challenges.

“Through partnerships across society and by remembering our common humanity, we can create a more secure, a more just and a more prosperous world. Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind,“ Ramaphosa concluded as he downed the gavel to end the summit.

The gavel would have been handed over to the US for the next annual Presidency, but President Donald Trump earlier declared that there would be no US participation at the summit.

The US also tried to halt the adoption of the Declaration in its absence and at the last moment requested accreditation for a junior team to accept the handover, which South Africa declined as a breach of protocol.

It will now be handed over on Monday at the offices of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. PTI FH GSP GSP