2025 marked a defining moment for Africa’s engagement in global economic governance. South Africa’s G20 Presidency (alongside Africa’s participation in COP30, the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and ongoing negotiations toward a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation) collectively repositioned Africa as a more assertive actor in shaping global debates on development finance, debt sustainability, climate action and international tax reform.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation, South Africa advanced a development-oriented agenda under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” prioritising debt sustainability, climate finance, disaster resilience and critical minerals. Key initiatives, including the Africa Expert Panel and the Africa Engagement Framework, reflect efforts to embed Africa’s priorities within the G20 architecture.
Considering the G20’s transition into a Global North presidency cycle, the challenge is no longer agenda-setting, but continuity. Without deliberate efforts to institutionalise gains and coordinate across parallel processes, there is a risk that progress achieved under South Africa’s leadership may fragment or stall.
This dialogue aimed to identify practical pathways to sustain, institutionalise, and coordinate Africa’s development priorities across the G20, FfD4 follow-up, COP processes, and UN tax negotiations. The guiding question throughout the discussion was: what must be institutionalised to prevent Africa’s development agenda from resetting with each G20 presidency cycle?
Speakers
- Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, Chief Executive, SAIIA
- Prof Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- Prof Bartholomew Kingsly Armah, Senior Economist, AUDA-NEPAD
- Kesaobaka Nancy Mopipi, Policy Analyst: International Finance and Taxation, SAIIA
- Salim M’mdi Soilihi, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of the Union of Comoros
- Sijh Diagne, Advisor to the Vice President of Finance and CFO, African Development Bank
- Kathy Nicolaou-Manias, Programme Director at the International Education and Partnerships and Regional Technical Advisor on Illicit Financial Flows at the UN Economic Commission for Africa
- Alex Benkenstein, Head: Climate and Natural Resources Programme, SAIIA
Watch the Recording
Thank you for joining us.
