Publications
Partners
Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma will lead a high-level delegation of ministers when he attends the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit in Hamburg, Germany, the Presidency said on Monday.
Zuma - together with International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and Energy Minister Nkhensani Kubayi - will attend the summit from Friday to Saturday.
South Africa is one of the 19 member countries (plus the European Union) that makes up the G20, which has been meeting regularly since 1999 to discuss global economic policy coordination.
South Africa’s participation in the G20 would be "guided by our national interest and the primacy of the African Agenda", the Presidency said.
"One of South Africa’s primary aims in the G20 is to provide strategic foresight in establishing an economic and international policy platform that will drive and negotiate the best possible outcomes for South Africa, Africa and the developing world."
According to Zuma, the summit would "present an opportunity for decisive leadership" from the participating countries.
He said SA would support calls for the "G20 to show international leadership, particularly in the area of climate change and trade, in helping to achieve progress in multilateral institutions".
Zuma said the G20 was not a substitute for the UN, but should rather "support and add value to what is being done within the UN context".
'Shaping an interconnected world'
According to the Presidency, South Africa would seek to use the G20 to "promote and strengthen the interests of Africa and of the South".
The overarching theme for the 2017 G20 Leaders’ Summit is "Shaping an Interconnected World", with the sub-themes of "building resilience", "improving sustainability" and "assuming responsibility".
The Presidency said the central point to SA’s national agenda was "creating a better South Africa and contributing to a better Africa and a better world".
An important part of SA’s G20 strategy was outreach to Africa.
"In this regard, as the only permanent African member of the G20, South Africa utilises its participation to raise issues of concern to Africa with other G20 members," the Presidency said.
It added: "Given that development is an important priority for South Africa in the G20, South Africa serves as a permanent co-chair of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG)."
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE UPDATE: Get Fin24's top morning business news and opinions in your inbox.
Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter: Fin24’s top stories
