Lamola Upbeat SA’s G20 Presidency Will Make Significant Headway in Addressing Key Global Issues

Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola. Picture: @RonaldLamola on X

JOHANNESBURG - Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola said he is upbeat that South Africa’s G20 presidency will make significant headway in helping to address a range of key global challenges.  

Lamola opened the first G20 foreign ministers' meeting at the Nasrec Expo Centre in the south of Johannesburg on Thursday.

Global economic growth, food security, energy security, and climate change are among the issues up for discussion during the two-day meeting.  

It comes amid concerns of deepening tensions among some G20 member states and other countries, as well as threats of trade wars and political uncertainty.  

Lamola said the takeaways from this week’s talks will be critical going forward.  

“I hope that this hall will present a good opportunity for all G20 members to engage robustly to address global challenges. It is our hope that we will have rich and productive engagement on these issues in the build-up to November for the G20 leaders’ summit.”  

BUSINESS AS USUAL

South Africa’s G20 sherpa, Zane Dangor, said it is business as usual at the gathering of foreign ministers, despite lingering concerns about tensions in the bloc of global leaders.  

Dangor made the reassurance on the sidelines of the two-day meeting, which kicked off on Thursday.

It is part of South Africa’s year-long presidency of the G20, which is expected to use the term to put Africa back on the map.  

The G20 bloc includes some of the world’s leading economies, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU).  

While the bloc is meant to address common global challenges, some member states are polar opposites on key issues.  

This includes how to address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has been further complicated by a shift in policy since Donald Trump was re-elected as United States (US) president.  

Ties between South Africa and the US have also become strained since Trump’s return.  

After top US officials snubbed G20 meetings in South Africa, Dango said he hopes the US comes to the table as leaders try to find common ground.  

“We’re hoping that at the working group level, we’ll have sufficient representation from the US so that their views are added to the G20 so that when they take over the presidency, they take over a set of goals that they can actually work with.”  

Delegates are expected to continue meeting behind closed doors on Friday.