South Africa's G20 Summit: A Milestone in Multilateral Commitment

At the Johannesburg G20 summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed multilateralism and tackled climate change despite U.S. opposition. Challenges included U.S. boycotting over debunked persecution claims and tensions from Russia's Ukraine invasion. Consensus was reached on adapting to climate impacts and promoting clean energy, reflecting shared global priorities.

During the weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted a renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation through the Leaders' Declaration. Despite objections from the United States, which boycotted the summit, Ramaphosa navigated challenges to address pressing global issues like climate change.

At the closing ceremony, Ramaphosa emphasized that the declaration underscored how shared global goals can transcend differences. The summit faced U.S. resistance led by President Donald Trump, who objected to South Africa's agenda aimed at aiding developing nations with climate adaptation, clean energy transition, and alleviating debt burdens.

While hosting the first G20 summit on African soil, Ramaphosa secured consensus on using inclusive language long disliked by the U.S. administration. The declaration also addressed geopolitical tensions over Russia's actions in Ukraine and ongoing climate negotiations at COP30 in Brazil. Disagreements persisted over the G20 presidency handover, with South Africa rejecting a diplomatic proposal from the U.S.

(With inputs from agencies.)