The 2025 G20 Summit, held in Johannesburg, marked a historic moment for the continent, not only because South Africa had the presidency for the first time, but also because the declaration firmly places Africa’s economic development, peace and security, and climate resilience on the global agenda, writes Nontobeko Mlambo for allAfrica.

President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed the outcome as a reaffirmation of multilateralism and emphasized Africa’s priorities within the global agenda. The G20 committed to boosting renewable energy, disaster resilience, financial reforms, and responsible AI innovation to support inclusive, sustainable growth.

However, the US rejected climate change efforts and didn’t attend the talks, with Ramaphosa noting he will “hand over to an empty chair”.