Introduction
The G20 Social Summit 2025 is an opportunity to disseminate the rich knowledge and recommendations built up through the workstreams of the engagement groups during the year into the G20 presidency and the international economic processes. Hosted by South Africa, this summit serves as the flagship platform for civil society to actively engage the G20’s leadership, fostering genuine global solidarity and advancing inclusive development.
This publication is a compilation of policy notes from the T20 Africa community covering the five thematic areas of the G20 Social Summit 2025, aimed at responding to this unique opportunity. It represents a systematic effort to ensure the final G20 Social Declaration is not only reflective of the valuable insights from South African civil society but, crucially, foregrounds the African Agenda and the priorities of the Global South.
The T20 Africa Network (formerly referred to as the T20 Africa Stranding Group) was launched in May 2017 during the Think20 (T20) Summit in Berlin. It engages in cross-regional joint knowledge production and provides evidence-based policy advice on global sustainable development. It focuses on cooperation between Africa and G20 countries. In 2023, the African Union’s formal admission into the G20 as a permanent member marked a significant milestone in amplifying African voices in the premier forum for global economic cooperation. Therefore, the focus of the T20 Africa Network has shifted from boosting Africa-G20 cooperation to ensuring African priorities and voices are effectively heard in the formal G20 process and that the T20 Africa community is actively and effectively engaged in providing evidence-based policy advice to the G20.
The contributions within — crafted by leading voices in the T20 Africa community — articulate targeted, actionable recommendations on the most critical issues facing our continent and the world’s most vulnerable populations.
As we look toward the Leaders’ Summit, the success of the G20 hinges on its ability to transcend traditional boundaries and incorporate different perspectives. This policy note is our contribution to that vision: a practical guide for building a more equitable, resilient and people-centered global future.
