PRETORIA-(MaraviPost)-President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered the closing remarks at the G20 Leaders Summit, reflecting on South Africa’s historic tenure as the first African nation to host the forum.

In his address, President Ramaphosa extended his gratitude to G20 member states, invited countries, international organisations, and all participants for their support during South Africa’s Presidency.

He emphasised that the commitment of participating nations had been crucial in reaffirming the G20’s role as the premier platform for international economic cooperation and in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

President Ramaphosa noted that the summit occurred during a period of significant global difficulties, yet member states demonstrated the ability to unite and pursue a better world collectively.

South Africa’s leadership of the G20 placed Africa’s growth and development at the centre of the agenda, highlighting the continent’s potential as a key driver of 21st-century prosperity.

He stressed that realising this potential requires strong partnerships between Africa and the G20, and more broadly, between Africa and the global community.

President Ramaphosa also addressed the urgent need for global peace, calling for the cessation of conflicts and wars, and advocating for comprehensive and lasting resolutions.

The summit, he said, coincided with growing worldwide demands to tackle poverty, reduce inequality, and combat climate change.

Particular attention was given to the mounting debt burden in developing economies, which hampers their progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The G20 pledged to provide support to low- and middle-income countries facing debt vulnerabilities, with the aim of creating a virtuous cycle of reduced debt, higher public investment, and inclusive economic growth.

Disaster resilience and climate adaptation were central themes, with President Ramaphosa noting that climate-induced natural disasters disproportionately affect nations with limited capacity to recover.

South Africa introduced the High-Level Voluntary Principles for Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction, encouraging international collaboration to enhance investment in both prevention and post-disaster recovery.

The summit also advanced discussions on the just energy transition, emphasising the need for climate finance, support for developing economies, and the mobilisation of private capital to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

President Ramaphosa highlighted the G20 Critical Minerals Framework as a key initiative to ensure that mineral resources contribute to sustainable development worldwide.

The South African Presidency also marked the conclusion of the first cycle of G20 Presidencies, during which the G20@20 Review was undertaken to gather perspectives from all participating members and guest countries.

Overall, the summit underscored the G20’s commitment to inclusive global cooperation, sustainable development, and Africa’s growing role on the international stage.

The Maravi Post