As South Africa hosts the G20, the world’s attention turns to Africa, not as a passive participant, but as a potential agenda-setter in global governance. For the first time, an African nation is chairing the world’s most influential economic forum, representing over 80% of global GDP.

Now that South Africa holds the G20 Presidency, the first in Africa’s history, a critical question arises:

Will this moment translate into real gains for the continent, or will it remain symbolic?
Ubuntu Diplomacy: Africa’s Gift to Global Governance

South Africa’s presidency introduces a refreshing philosophical lens, Ubuntu, into global diplomacy.
Ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are”, redefines leadership through interconnectedness and shared humanity.

In a world plagued by wars, protectionism, and fragmentation, Ubuntu offers an African philosophy of collective survival. It challenges the dominance of self-interest and proposes a model where solidarity is strength and equality is non-negotiable.

But for Ubuntu to transform global governance, it must first transform Africa itself. Unity must begin at home.
Is the G20 promoting dialogue between developed and emerging economies?

The G20 was founded in 1999 to stabilize global financial systems after the Asian financial crisis. Its purpose was to promote dialogue between developed and emerging economies. Yet, despite its inclusive rhetoric, Africa has remained underrepresented.

For decades, the G20 has claimed to promote inclusive growth and development. Yet, Africa, home to nearly 1.4 billion people, rich in resources and youth potential, remains on the margins of global decision-making. The continent contributes the least to climate change but suffers the most. It fuels the world’s technological transition through its critical minerals but gains the least value in return.

So, as South Africa hosts the G20 under the banner of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, the continent must ask: Will the spirit of Ubuntu, which it has chosen as the guiding philosophy of its presidency, be strong enough to influence how global leaders understand shared prosperity?

    Out of 55 African countries, only South Africa is a permanent member.

    The African Union (AU) has only recently been invited as a permanent member, a symbolic victory, but still with limited influence on outcomes.

    Most African countries remain policy-takers, not policy-shapers, in global economic governance.

This raises the question: is the G20 truly designed to serve Africa’s interests, or simply to extract Africa’s resources within a new global framework of legitimacy?
Global Governance Fatigue: From Promises to Paradoxes

Africans have heard global promises before:

    The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000.

    The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015.

    Repeated G20 declarations on debt relief, trade justice, and climate finance.

Yet, two decades later, poverty, debt, and inequality persist, and in some cases, have worsened.

    As reported by the Guardian, 17 of the world’s 25 most indebted countries are in Africa.

    Sub-Saharan Africa spends more on debt servicing than on health and education combined.

    Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), despite being the world’s fastest-growing population, Africa captures less than 3% of global trade and 1% of global manufacturing output.

Africans still need to be convinced on the true importance of G20 on its development and the development of its people.
The African Opportunity: Redefining Global Partnerships

If South Africa’s G20 presidency is to be meaningful, it must go beyond symbolism and lead a continental agenda that challenges global inequality and promotes African agency.

Africa does not need another round of polite participation; it needs purposeful partnership.

Key opportunities include:

    Debt Justice: Africa should push for restructuring and transparent auditing of sovereign debt, linking repayment to measurable development outcomes.

    Critical Minerals Framework: Advocate for beneficiation and local value addition to ensure Africa’s resources benefit African economies, not just foreign corporations.

    Climate Finance Accountability: Demand enforceable commitments for loss-and-damage funds, especially for vulnerable African states facing climate-related disasters.

    Inclusive Trade and Technology Access: Push for fair digital and industrial policies that enable Africa to compete in the fourth industrial revolution.

These priorities can only be achieved if Africa negotiates as one bloc, aligning the AU, SADC, ECOWAS, and EAC under a single strategic vision.

Conclusion

The G20 may not be perfect, but it remains one of the few global spaces where Africa can speak, if it speaks with one voice.
The question, therefore, is not whether Africa needs the G20, but whether Africa will use this moment to redefine its role in it.

Africa must approach the G20 not as a guest, but as a co-architect of global governance.