In Johannesburg, South Africa, the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting wrapped up on February 21, following two days of talks. This was the first time the G20 Foreign Ministers convened on African soil, underscoring the continent's increasing role in global affairs and the pressing need for international cooperation to address the world's growing challenges.

Ronald Lamola, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation who headed the two-day meeting, during a post-meeting media briefing, emphasized that the event had been "very productive," offering high-level strategic discussions on the shifting global geopolitical landscape and its far-reaching impacts on diplomacy and global affairs.

Since its inception in 2008, the G20 has evolved from a platform designed to manage financial crises into a broader forum addressing global challenges, including financial stability, climate change, sustainable development and health. The theme of "Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability," which is at the core of the South African G20 presidency, guided the agenda of the recent meeting. Throughout the event, foreign ministers discussed pressing issues, including current geopolitical tensions and South Africa's key objectives for its presidency.

Africa's G20 milestone

South Africa assumed the G20 presidency in December 2024, and according to Lamola, the country is set to host approximately 130 working group meetings and 23 ministerial-level meetings throughout 2025.

By hosting this meeting, South Africa has not only amplified Africa's voice but also accentuated the continent's indispensable role in tackling global issues, including energy and food insecurity, sustainable development and economic resilience.

"The nations of the world look to the G20 for leadership on the most pressing issues confronting our world…We want our G20 Presidency to be one in which all voices are heard, and in which all views count," said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his speech on February 20.

South Africa's G20 leadership has brought to the forefront the region's aspirations for a more balanced and equitable global order. The country has called for inclusivity, stressing the need for a new international economic framework that better represents the Global South.

The Global South consists of nations that are generally characterized by relatively low levels of economic and industrial development, typically located to the south of more industrialized nations.

During the meeting, the South African Government focused on three key areas: reforming international financial institutions, securing climate financing and stabilizing global food supply chains. A major topic of discussion was the adjustment of International Monetary Fund quotas. Emerging economies, including China, India and Brazil, have advocated for an increase in their voting share from 45 percent to over 48 percent, reflecting their growing economic influence. At the same time, they propose a reduction of the voting share for Western countries from 55 percent to 51.53 percent. However, any changes to the voting structure require the approval of 85 percent of the total voting power. Given that the U.S. holds 16.49 percent of this power and possessing veto rights over key decisions, implementing these changes poses considerable challenges.

This situation underlines the structural dilemma within the G20 mechanism, where the demands of developing nations to amplify their voices conflict with the entrenched interests of dominant powers that wish to maintain their influence within the current global framework.

Partnership beyond rhetoric

During the meeting, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's foreign minister, reaffirmed China's commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation. This was his second visit to Africa in 2025, following a trip to four African countries in January. His speech emphasized China's long-standing approach of supporting an open world economy and aiding Africa, along with other developing regions, in their pursuit of sustainable development. China's policy toward Africa remains a cornerstone of its broader South-South cooperation strategy, which aims to foster mutual support, shared prosperity and collective action among developing nations.

In an interview with newspaper China Youth Daily on February 20, Yang Baorong, director of the economic research office at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, highlighted the importance of the G20 in the context of global development and transformation. Yang described the G20 as a vital platform for building consensus, promoting cooperation and addressing regional issues. He noted that Wang's participation in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting demonstrated China's commitment to multilateral cooperation.

Yang also said Wang's visit was a pivotal step in advancing the China-Africa cooperation initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last September. At the summit, Xi announced that China is prepared to collaborate closely with Africa over the next three years to implement "10 partnership actions" aimed at modernization.

According to Yang, these initiatives cover 10 primary areas, including mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, and cultural exchange. The global community has been closely watching how China plans to implement the cooperation agreements made at the FOCAC summit.

Wang's trip to South Africa for the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss specific steps with African counterparts to advance these initiatives.

China's emphasis on economic development, trade and infrastructure investment in Africa has been a key driver of the continent's growth. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013, China has lifted Africa's connectivity with global markets. The BRI aims to strengthen infrastructure along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes, facilitating critical investments in transportation, energy and technology. These investments have played an integral role in promoting Africa's economic development and its integration into the global economy.

Wang further emphasized that the G20 should collaborate with Africa in key areas such as industrialization, infrastructure development and green minerals, among others, to accelerate the continent's progress toward modernization.

The cost of absenteeism

One of the most notable absences at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting was U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His decision to skip the summit, coupled with the absence of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from the G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting in Cape Town on February 26, raised eyebrows. When asked about his absence, Bessent asserted that he was "fulfilling his duties in Washington," whereas Rubio bluntly criticized South Africa, stating that "South Africa is doing very bad things" and its policies are "anti-American." Their no-shows underscored shifting dynamics within the G20, with Rubio's absence

in particular drawing attention to the growing fractures in global governance, particularly amid ongoing tensions between major powers.

The U.S. Government, under President Donald Trump, has increasingly embraced a unilateral approach to foreign policy, distancing itself from multilateral platforms like the G20. Rubio's refusal to attend the meeting mirrors a broader skepticism in Washington toward multilateral diplomacy. The absence of key American figures at such an important summit raises questions about the future of U.S. engagement in global governance.

Li Haidong, Director of the American Studies Center at China Foreign Affairs University, discussed the situation in an interview with China Media Group's Global News Radio on February 7. He said the current U.S. administration's decision to refrain from participating poses challenges for the G20, making it more difficult to reach international consensus or address key issues swiftly, thus adding further uncertainty to an already complex global landscape.

"The U.S. secretary of state's announcement to boycott the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting also reflects Washington's reluctance to continue fulfilling its role as a developed nation in supporting the economic and social progress of developing countries," Li added. BR

(Print Edition Title: Attendees and Absentees)        

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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