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 the voice of the Global South and the 1955 Congress of the People mobilised world opinion against apartheid, this Social Summit has given practical meaning to global solidarity.”
Key Highlights of South Africa’s 2025 G20 Social Track
- Expanded from Brazil’s original 14 engagement groups to 22 official social clusters – the broadest ever.
- Seven flagship Legacy Projects launched, including:
- G20 Youth Employment Accelerator
- Global Care Economy Compact
- African Women’s Economic Empowerment Fund
- Just Energy Transition Community Fund
- G20 Digital Inclusion Initiative
- Global South Debt & Climate Resilience Facility
- Food Systems Transformation Partnership
- First time young people and informal workers had dedicated seats at official G20 working groups.
Ramaphosa emphasised that these legacy initiatives will outlive South Africa’s 2025 presidency and be monitored annually by future G20 chairs (starting with the United States in 2026).
The three-day summit ran parallel to final preparations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for next week (24–25 November) in Johannesburg.
With the Social Summit concluded, attention now shifts to whether the Leaders’ Declaration will formally endorse the seven Legacy Projects and elevate the Social Summit to a permanent fixture on the G20 calendar – a key South African ask.