South Africa, under its year-long presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), has convened a key international meeting in Somerset West, Western Cape, aimed at shaping global development priorities through a distinctly inclusive and sustainable lens.
The second session of the G20’s Development Working Group (DWG) began on Monday, drawing participants from member states, invited nations, and global institutions. The three-day summit—set to close on Wednesday—centres on strengthening cooperative frameworks that address economic inequality, sustainability, and long-term resilience, especially for developing nations.
According to South Africa’s Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, the gathering is a critical platform for tackling shared development challenges while fostering consensus on collective responses. The meeting’s theme—“Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”—is reflected in three priority areas under discussion.
These include establishing high-level principles for managing and financing global public goods, enhancing financial resource mobilization and implementation tools, and expanding universal social protection systems to build societal resilience.
“This moment is not only about policies—it’s about rebalancing the global development architecture so that it serves all people more fairly,” the department said.
The G20, comprising both developed and emerging economies, holds significant sway over the global economic landscape. Its members account for about 85/percent of global GDP, over 75/percent of world trade, and nearly two-thirds of the planet’s population.
As the only African country in the G20, South Africa has used its presidency—running from December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2025—to spotlight issues affecting the Global South. Pretoria has repeatedly emphasized the need to align global development conversations with the realities of lower-income countries, particularly on the African continent.
Officials said this week’s sessions are expected to yield proposals that will feed into the broader G20 agenda ahead of the leaders’ summit later this year.
“The DWG is not just a technical forum—it is a strategic space for pushing forward an inclusive development vision that closes gaps and strengthens global cooperation,” the department added.
With the world facing overlapping crises—from economic fragmentation to climate-related shocks—South Africa’s leadership in this forum is being closely watched by many in the Global South. The outcomes from Somerset West may help set the tone for what equitable international cooperation should look like in 2025 and beyond.