Deputy President Paul Mashatile says South Africa’s hosting of the G20 Social Summit offers the country and the African continent a crucial opportunity to influence the global conversation on peace, stability and inclusive development. Mashatile delivered the keynote address at the gathering in Boksburg on Tuesday.
The G20 Social Summit brings together civil society groups, labour organisations, community leaders and international partners to discuss social priorities that will inform South Africa’s agenda as it chairs the G20 in 2025. This is the first time the summit is being held on African soil, marking a significant moment for the continent.
Mashatile emphasised that achieving lasting peace is essential for unlocking economic growth, noting that conflicts and political instability continue to hinder development in many African countries.
“When we achieve peace and political stability, we as Africans are better positioned to secure sustainable financing, debt relief, fairer trade and stronger representation in governance,” he said.
He also stressed that South Africa’s G20 presidency provides a rare chance to push for reforms that prioritise the needs of developing nations, including addressing inequality, restructuring global financial systems and promoting youth economic participation.
“The foundation of South Africa G20 Presidency its commitment to strengthening and reforming international financial architecture as well as deepening economic cooperation.”
The summit aims to amplify the voices of civil society and grassroots organisations so that community concerns feed directly into policymaking at global level. Recommendations from the summit will form part of South Africa’s broader inputs ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit next year.
