JOHANNESBURG, Nov 24 (The African Portal) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday formally closed the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the first time the meeting has been held on African soil, and handed the presidency to the United States.
“Let us move forward together, demonstrating to the world that we have the capacity to confront and overcome the world’s challenges. Through partnerships across society, and by remembering our common humanity, we can create a more secure, a more just and a more prosperous world. Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind,” Ramaphosa said in his closing remarks.
Raising the gavel before the delegates, he declared: “I now say that this gavel of this G20 Summit formally closes this summit and now moves on to the next president of the G20, which is the United States… The summit is therefore closed.”
The summit proceeded despite months of diplomatic tension during the South African presidency, including a boycott by the United States at parts of the preparatory process. South Africa nonetheless secured a Leaders’ Declaration backed by all member states, renewing commitments to multilateral cooperation.
“The G20 South Africa Summit Leaders’ Declaration is more than words – it is a commitment to concrete actions that will improve the lives of people in every part of the world. Our agreement on a declaration during this summit demonstrates the value of the G20 as a forum that can facilitate joint action on issues of shared concern.
“More than that, it reaffirms our renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and our recognition that our shared goals outweigh our differences,” Ramaphosa said.
He also used the closing session to highlight Africa’s role in the future global economy. “The greatest opportunity for prosperity in the 21st century lies in Africa,” he said, pointing to opportunities in critical minerals, climate resilience, energy transition and industrial growth.
During its G20 presidency, South Africa prioritised issues including climate finance for developing economies, reforms of multilateral development banks, support for heavily indebted developing countries, investment in disaster risk reduction and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It also completed the “G20@20 Review”, which examined the forum’s evolution over two decades.
“At the heart of our Presidency lies a conviction that the G20 must act boldly, and act together, to create an environment of inclusive growth, reduced inequality and sustainable development,” he said.
Ramaphosa concluded with a call to maintain momentum after the summit. “Together, we must accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Pact for the Future. We have laid the foundation of solidarity. Now we must build the walls of justice and the roof of prosperity,” he said.
The United States assumes the rotating G20 presidency for 2026.
