JOHANNESBURG, 23rd November, 2025 (WAM) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday brought the curtain down on the first-ever G20 Summit hosted on African soil, delivering a powerful, unifying message. The closing ceremony at the Johannesburg Expo Centre was charged with emotion, triumph and global solidarity.
“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,” the President said.
“The G20 South Africa Summit Leaders’ Declaration is more than words – it is a commitment to concrete actions 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.
“More than that, it reaffirms our renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and our recognition that our shared goals outweigh our differences," he said.
Leaders of the G20, who gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa, for this historic first Summit on the African Continent under the South African G20 Presidency, on 22 and 23 November 2025, addressed major global challenges and discussed ways to promote solidarity, equality and sustainability as key pillars of inclusive growth.
‘’We meet against the backdrop of rising geopolitical and geo-economic competition and instability, heightened conflicts and wars, deepening inequality, increasing global economic uncertainty and fragmentation. In the face of this challenging political and socio-economic environment, we underscore our belief in multilateral cooperation to collectively address shared challenges. We note with distress the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world,’’ said the G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders’ Declaration issued at the end of the two-day meeting in South Africa.
On debt, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to support efforts by low- and middle-income countries to address debt vulnerabilities in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner. ''We endorse the G20 Ministerial Declaration on Debt Sustainability by our Finance Ministers at their October 2025 meeting, which provides a basis for concrete action to advance this commitment.''
''We affirm our unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law including international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations and its principle of peaceful settlement of disputes.''
The leaders also expressed their support for the implementation of efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements globally through existing targets and respective policies, similarly support the implementation with respect to other zero and low-emission technologies, including abatement and removal technologies in line with national circumstances by 2030.
''We encourage the public and private sectors, financial institutions, development partners, investors and local communities to work together to unlock the full potential of critical minerals for the benefit of local populations where these resources are abundant, and to drive sustainable and equitable development, economic growth and prosperity.''
On technology, the declaration said:''As Leaders of the G20, we share a vision to harness science, technology, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous and local knowledge in partnership to unlock new pathways to prosperity, leaving no one behind.''
On food security, the leaders reiterated their commitment to ensuring resilient and sustainable food systems and food security through open and non-discriminatory trade policies consistent with WTO rules.
As for AI, the declaration said:'' We reiterate the potential of digital and emerging technologies including AI for good and for all. To ensure safe, secure, and trustworthy AI development, deployment and use, the protection of human rights, transparency and explainability, fairness, accountability, regulation, safety, appropriate human oversight, ethics, biases, privacy, data protection and data governance must be addressed.''
On climate action, the leaders recognised national just transition pathways as key enablers of climate action, by encompassing a whole of economy and whole of society approach in support of efforts to achieve sustainable development, equity, eradicate poverty, while fostering meaningful social and economic opportunities.
''We reiterate our strong support to Africa to promote economic growth, trade, jobs and prosperity. We note the key role private sector investment plays in unlocking the economic potential of the Continent,'' the declaration concluded.