The first-ever Group of 20 (G20) summit held in Africa concluded on Sunday, November 23, 2025, with a strong focus on the needs and priorities of developing nations. Host nation South Africa brokered a joint declaration signed by some of the world’s richest and most influential emerging economies, committing to address the unique challenges facing poorer countries.
The final communiqué emphasized the impact of climate change, rising debt burdens, and inequitable borrowing conditions that hinder economic growth across developing regions. It also underscored support for helping poorer nations transition to clean and sustainable energy sources.
However, the United States, a founding G20 member and the world’s largest economy, boycotted the summit and refused to sign the declaration. The Trump administration announced its opposition to South Africa’s agenda—particularly its focus on climate change.
From Monday, the U.S. assumes the rotating presidency of the G20, leaving uncertainty over whether South Africa’s landmark declaration will have lasting impact.
Africa at the Center of the Agenda
Formed in 1999 to tackle global economic issues, the 21-member G20 includes the U.S., China, Russia, India, France, Germany, the U.K., Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa, along with the European Union and African Union.
The 122-point Johannesburg Declaration, while not legally binding, represents a shared commitment among members to mobilize public and private finance for countries recovering from climate-related disasters—events that have disproportionately affected developing economies.
Africa, which contributes only 2–3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is experiencing some of the worst effects of climate change, according to the United Nations. Recent cyclones intensified by global warming caused billions of dollars in damage across Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
Several developing nations participated as guest observers to share their experiences with debt and high borrowing costs. Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, speaking as head of the West African economic bloc, said that countries in his region face interest rates “up to eight times higher” than wealthier nations.
Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah added that lenders still classify her country as high-risk, despite Namibia’s recent full repayment of a $750 million bond.
“Africa doesn’t need charity,” Bio said, “but fair borrowing conditions.”
Effectiveness of the G20 Questioned
While leaders hailed the Johannesburg summit as a historic milestone, doubts remain about the bloc’s ability to address the world’s most pressing geopolitical crises.
The war in Ukraine was referenced only once in the declaration—in a broad call to end conflicts—while the civil war in Sudan received a single mention and no concrete proposals for resolution.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the challenge, saying the G20 was at “an inflection point” because it was “struggling to have a common standard on geopolitical crises.”
Tense Hand-Over to the U.S.
The summit concluded with an awkward moment during the symbolic handover ceremony, in which the outgoing G20 president traditionally passes a wooden gavel to the incoming leader. No U.S. official was present to receive it from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa due to the American boycott.
The U.S. had proposed sending an embassy representative, but South Africa rejected the offer, calling it an insult for Ramaphosa to hand over the gavel to a “junior official.”
In a lighthearted moment, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva picked up the gavel and jokingly swung it, telling Ramaphosa: “I’ll take it to them (the U.S.).”
The G20 operates under a “troika” system, meaning South Africa, the U.S., and Brazil will coordinate throughout the coming year. However, tensions between Washington and Pretoria remain high, with the U.S. imposing sanctions and repeatedly criticizing South Africa since Donald Trump’s return to office, marking the lowest point in relations since the end of apartheid.
Trump’s G20 Plans and U.S. Direction
President Trump announced that the 2026 G20 summit would be held at his golf club in Doral, Florida, insisting that his family business “would not profit” from hosting the event.
U.S. officials also indicated that the G20’s direction would shift under their leadership, accusing South Africa of diluting the group’s purpose by inviting too many guest nations.
“We have whittled down the G20 back to basics,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “The G20 had become basically the G100 this past year.”
Trump has also called for South Africa’s expulsion from the G20, citing discredited claims that it persecutes its white Afrikaner minority. When asked if South Africa feared the U.S. might deny visas to its delegations for upcoming G20 events, Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni responded:
“Like any other country, they can decide to give you a visa or not. It doesn’t change the price of bread.”
