Author: newsnote correspondent

The arrival of world leaders at Johannesburg’s Nasrec Expo Centre marks the kickoff of a landmark event—the first G20 Summit in Africa. Scheduled for November 22-23, the gathering embodies the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” This summit isn’t just a diplomatic photo-op; it’s a strategic push to amplify Africa’s voice in global economic discussions, focusing on issues like debt relief, trade equity, and sustainable development ahead of the UN’s 2030 Agenda deadline. Day One Highlights: From Opening Address to Tough Talks As outlined in the preview, President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the opening public address, setting a tone of African-led global…

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will today hold talks with Ukraine’s European allies on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, aiming to reinforce a US-drafted proposal to end the war with Russia.Downing Street confirmed that Starmer will meet leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss ways to “strengthen” the American plan and secure a full ceasefire.Sources in Washington say the proposal, strongly backed by President Donald Trump, would require Ukraine to accept significant concessions, including the permanent loss of occupied territories and sharp reductions…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed a new wave of international commitments to expand renewable energy across Africa, saying the continent’s green transition must strengthen local economies, create jobs and be led by Africans themselves. He was delivering closing remarks at the Global Citizen: Scaling Up Renewables in Africa event on Friday, held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. The gathering brought together governments, investors, philanthropies and energy experts to mobilise financing for Africa’s clean-energy acceleration. Ramaphosa said the scale of pledges made at the event “affirmed the relevance” of South Africa’s G20 theme of Solidarity, Equality and…

The United States has firmly denied any reversal on its boycott of the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, despite claims from President Cyril Ramaphosa suggesting a last-minute change of heart. In a terse White House statement on November 20, 2025, officials confirmed that only the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Pretoria, Marc D. Dillard, will attend the formal handover ceremony on November 23 as a procedural formality—marking the transition of the G20 presidency to Washington on December 1. This low-level presence underscores America’s refusal to engage in substantive discussions, with the administration opposing any joint Leaders’ Declaration without its…

In a powerful show of solidarity, organisations, activists, and citizens across South Africa participated in a nationwide shutdown on Friday to protest against escalating gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide. The action, led by the non-profit organisation Women for Change, called on women and members of the LGBTQI+ community to withhold their labour and economic participation for the day, symbolising collective resistance and economic power. The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, along with the Archbishop Desmond Tutu IP Trust, announced closure for the day, aligning with the movement. Foundation CEO Janet Jobson described GBV as a “national disaster” that has…

The 2025 G20 Summit marks a historic milestone as the first-ever gathering of this scale on African soil, hosted by South Africa in Johannesburg from November 22–23 at the Nasrec Expo Centre. Under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” the event emphasizes inclusive economic growth, debt relief for low-income nations, climate finance, and amplifying the Global South’s voice in global governance. South Africa, which assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, has prioritized Africa’s development agenda, building on the African Union’s full membership since 2023. Over 130 preparatory meetings have shaped the draft Johannesburg Declaration, focusing on food security, AI…

Thousands of women, LGBTQI+ community members and anti-gender-based violence activists are expected to gather at Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town and at solidarity events across South Africa on Friday for the G20 Women’s Shutdown, a full-day economic withdrawal organised by NGO Women for Change. The mass action calls on all women and LGBTQI+ individuals to abstain from paid and unpaid work and to refrain from participating in the economy for the day in protest against South Africa’s extreme levels of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). As part of the nationwide demonstration, symbolic lie-down actions will take place in cities…

As world leaders arrive in South Africa for the first-ever G20 Summit on African soil, the United States has firmly limited its participation to a purely ceremonial appearance, rejecting any suggestion of broader engagement. A White House statement posted on X confirmed that the US Chargé d’Affaires in Pretoria will attend only the formal Declaration handover ceremony on Saturday. The administration explicitly stated that the US will not take part in substantive G20 discussions and labelled any reports suggesting otherwise as fake news. The clarification followed brief remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier on Thursday in which he welcomed apparent…

President Cyril Ramaphosa officially closed the inaugural G20 Social Summit in Boksburg on Thursday afternoon, declaring it a landmark moment in global cooperation and the most significant civil-society-inclusive gathering in G20 history. Speaking to nearly 5 000 delegates – including trade unions, youth, women’s organisations, NGOs, faith-based groups and indigenous communities – Ramaphosa said: “History will record 2025 as a milestone for global cooperation. This is not only the first G20 Leaders’ Summit ever held on African soil, but also the first time the G20 has hosted a Social Summit of this scale and ambition. Just as Bandung 1955 amplified…

South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has unanimously decided to reduce the repurchase (repo) rate by 25 basis points to 7.00%. This adjustment, effective immediately, lowers the prime lending rate from 10.50% to 10.25%, providing modest relief to borrowers amid a cooling inflation environment. The decision followed a three-day MPC meeting in Pretoria and aligns with market expectations, as headline inflation eased to 2.8% in October—its lowest since June 2020—driven by lower food and fuel prices. Kganyago emphasised the bank’s vigilance, stating: “Because of these downside surprises, together with a stronger…