By Kestér Kenn KLOMEGÂH
During an Q&A session in mid-August 2025,
Mrs. Tandiwe Thelma Mgxwati, Ambassador-at-Large and Acting Head of Mission at the South African Embassy
Discussed South Africa’s leadership within the G20 and its impact on Africa amidst global political shifts. Tandiwe Mgxwati emphasized the African Union’s complete participation in the G20 as a crucial tool for effectively pursuing the G20’s backing in areas such as infrastructure growth, digital evolution, manufacturing expansion, and innovative systems—core components of both Agenda 2063 and individual nation’s development strategies.
Below are the interview quotes
:
What importance does South Africa hold as the leader of the G20 in 2025?
Ms Tandiwe Thelma Mgxwati
South Africa will hold the G20 presidency in 2025, which carries immense historical and political importance. This will be the initial instance where an African nation presides over the G20 during its summit since the group was established in 1999, and this event aligns with the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20 in 2023.
The South African presidency reflects an increasing acknowledgment of Africa’s contribution to the world economy and supports the importance of developing fairer and more reflective systems of global administration. For South Africa, this position offers a chance to amplify the perspective of the Global South and showcase authority in guiding collective actions against common issues such as disparity, environmental concerns, financial obligations, and technological management.
From an institutional perspective, South Africa’s leadership enhances Africa’s capacity to shape G20 policy decisions and discussions on reforms, especially concerning the global financial system. This role further solidifies South Africa’s reputation as a reliable mediator connecting advanced and emerging economies.
As the G20 summit hosted in Johannesburg is set to take place on 22–23 November 2025, this leadership role offers Africa a chance to influence worldwide conversations about sustainability and strength during a period marked by multiple crises, while encouraging unity among developing nations and leading countries.
For the exact same reasons, we will bring our G20 leadership to the African continent through three distinct events scheduled for Egypt (focusing on Food Security), Ethiopia (centered on the Compact with Africa), and Nigeria (addressing Industrialization and Agriculture) later this year.
In what way does South Africa intend to promote its own and Africa’s developmental goals under the framework of the G20?
Tandiwe Mgxwati
South Africa has set the main focus of its leadership under the slogan “Solidarity, Equity, Sustainability,” highlighting the pressing necessity to tackle long-standing developmental disparities, encourage broad-based growth, and confront major challenges like climate change. The nation has established three key task forces covering these areas: (1) Promoting inclusive economic expansion, industrialization, and job generation; (2) Ensuring food security—a vital concern across Africa; and (3) Managing the governance and use of artificial intelligence and technological advancements for lasting progress. These objectives strongly correspond with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In order to align with African developmental goals, South Africa has created an organized approach for interaction with the African Union Commission and various African organizations like the African Development Bank. Under South African guidance, the G20 Africa Advisory Group has been renewed, acting as a forum for pushing forward African interests through the G20 Sherpa Track. Additionally, South Africa is encouraging cooperation with BRICS nations, G77 countries, and African regional economic groups to create a cohesive stance on critical topics such as debt relief, favorable financing, and technological exchange. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also being integrated into G20 conversations about trade and investments during South Africa’s presidency.
Within the Finance specialization, we have also formed a group dedicated to examining the Cost of Capital — an essential matter requiring focused consideration because numerous African nations face significant burdens related to their debt and the expenses associated with managing it.
How do you evaluate the inquiries concerning G20 countries enhancing their economic collaboration with Africa?
Tandiwe Mgxwati
There is an increasing awareness among the G20 that Africa should be regarded as a collaborator for shared growth instead of merely receiving assistance. South Africa actively endorses the shift in G20-Africa economic ties towards enduring, impactful collaborations that enhance manufacturing capabilities, develop workforce skills, and integrate infrastructural networks. South Africa promotes greater funding for local supply chains, resilient agricultural practices against climate change, and eco-friendly energy solutions, alongside striving for more equitable financial opportunities for African nations via international development institutions and updated global credit evaluation mechanisms.
As the current G20 chair, South Africa is strongly promoting increased involvement from G20 countries in Africa through collaborative investment approaches, shared-risk systems, and mixed financing structures designed to attract private funding. The continent’s growing population and abundant resources offer significant prospects for lasting economic collaborations.
The Compact for Africa (CwA), initiated during Germany’s G20 chairmanship in 2017, is currently undergoing review and renewal under South African guidance to make sure it more closely matches African-driven goals and aids the AfCFTA process. To this end, our objective is to enhance the CwA further when we organize a G20 meeting in Addis Ababa during the initial days of September, concentrating solely on advancing the CwA efforts and increasing participation from African nations within the Compact.
Is it feasible to address Africa’s issues during South Africa’s G20 leadership?
Tandiwe Mgxwati
Indeed, several responses mentioned earlier have touched upon this topic. The leadership role of South Africa is specifically aimed at tackling structural problems encountered by African countries and other emerging economies. Such challenges encompass restricted access to cost-effective long-term financing, susceptibility to climatic and disaster-related risks, limitations in industrial growth, and marginalization from international technological decision-making processes. By means of both the Sherpa and Financial Tracks, South Africa is centering these concerns within G20 discussions and advocating for enhanced collaboration with the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and local organizations.
In particular, the South African leadership is advocating for concrete results from the G20 in fields like debt alleviation for impoverished nations, expanded favorable funding for climate initiatives, and assistance to emerging economies in utilizing essential minerals for long-term progress. Incorporating digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence regulation into the G20 schedule represents an additional advancement, enabling African viewpoints on responsible technological advancements to be considered. These endeavors are supported by a G20-Africa Action Strategy that outlines specific achievements and deadlines.
What does Africa hope for from the countries participating in the G20?
Tandiwe Mgxwati
Africa’s hopes stem from values such as justice, equality, and shared benefits. African nations anticipate that G20 participants will back changes within the global monetary system, specifically concerning voting power at Bretton Woods organizations, handling of government debt recovery, and availability of favorable financing options. Moreover, Africa aims for greater assistance with building infrastructure, advancing digital progress, promoting manufacturing growth, and fostering innovative environments — essential components of both Agenda 2063 and individual country development strategies.
Another key expectation is that G20 countries will increase their investments in Africa’s shift toward sustainable energy, incorporating natural gas as an intermediate step, along with supporting funds for climate change mitigation and building resilience. The continent seeks collaborations that generate employment opportunities, promote local economic development, and help integrate into worldwide production networks. It is crucial to strengthen Africa’s influence when shaping global regulations—in areas such as commerce, artificial intelligence, environmental policies, or financial systems—and ensure that the African Union’s complete participation within the G20 leads to structural changes that result in tangible outcomes.
Are you of the opinion that the evolving diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States might affect these hopes?
Tandiwe Mgxwati
South Africa’s international relations continue to be guided by constitutional principles, appreciation for national independence, cooperation among nations, and a dedication to worldwide fairness. Although the present U.S. government led by President Donald Trump has taken a more inward-looking approach—which includes applying 30% taxes on certain South African goods—South Africa maintains active collaboration with every G20 member country, such as the United States, via political dialogue, commerce, and collective forums. The involvement of the United States in our G20 schedule holds significance because we feel that the whole G20 group must embrace responsibility for the achievements during our leadership. Moreover, since the United States will assume the G20 chairmanship after us, it is essential that they support this process.
The South African government has acknowledged the critical statements made by the Trump administration regarding South Africa, specifically concerning domestic policies linked to land reform, collaboration within BRICS, and its stance on international political matters. Nevertheless, these disagreements do not affect the fundamental developmental requirements of the continent or the main objectives South Africa is pursuing via the G20 and other groups like BRICS and IBSA. The aspirations of Africa—including more equitable trading regulations, availability of low-cost financing, enhancing value along supply chains, assistance with adapting to climate change, and responsible management of technological advancements—are longstanding and reflect unified African perspectives rather than individual disputes between nations.
As the host of the G20, South Africa is dedicated to fostering agreement despite differing ideologies and making sure that global economic management leads to fair results, regardless of changing bilateral relationships. In this difficult geopolitical environment, we feel that South Africa is ideally positioned to guide the G20 right now; our history from the early 1990s in developing an open democratic society is proving beneficial today.
Supplied by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
