The G20 summit in South Africa has come to an end

The summit, held on November 22 and 23 at the Johannesburg Expo Center (NASREC), discussed key issues facing the Global South, including climate finance, strengthening debt relief mechanisms, fairer access to development investments and preserving the value of critical minerals in local economies.

The summit was also attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Japanese Prime Minister Takaiçi Sanae, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Summit of G20 Heads of State and Government

The leaders of the G20 countries, which represent 85 percent of global economic production and 75 percent of world trade and cover two-thirds of the world's population, discussed reform issues that will shape the future of the global economy in three sessions at this year's meeting.

The first session of the summit yesterday focused on the role of trade, financing for development and reducing debt burdens for inclusive and sustainable growth.

In the second session, the topics of disaster risk reduction, combating climate change, equitable energy transition and strengthening food systems were discussed.

At the end of the first day of the summit, President Erdoğan was accompanied by his wife Emine Erdoğan to the dinner hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in honor of the heads of state and government.

Ramaphosa calls for the spirit of unity demonstrated in Johannesburg to be maintained

The third session today discussed the use of critical minerals, good employment opportunities and the impact of artificial intelligence on the global economy and working life.

In his speech at the closing session of the summit, President Ramaphosa said South Africa had used his presidential term to place the priorities of Africa and the Global South at the heart of the G20 agenda.

Referring to the final declaration adopted on the first day of the summit, Ramaphosa said: “The declaration of the leaders of the G20 summit in South Africa is not just words, but is a commitment to concrete actions that will improve the lives of people around the world.” he said.

Calling on leaders to maintain the spirit of unity shown in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said at the end of the speech: “The gavel of this G20 summit officially concludes the summit and will now be handed over to the United States, the next president of the G20. We will meet again next year. The summit is closed.” he said.

Final statement

One of the most important events of the Johannesburg summit was the adoption by the heads of state and government of the final declaration of the G20 Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place in Johannesburg over the objection of the USA.

US President Donald Trump did not attend the summit, citing allegations of “racial discrimination” against South Africa's white minority, and there was no US representative at the summit.

The US rejected and boycotted the publication of the summit's final declaration. The US government also rejected the issues that South Africa had put on this year's G20 agenda, such as combating climate change, financing the transition to clean energy and preparing for climate-related disasters.

The Trump administration specifically did not want the terms “climate change” and “renewable energy” to be included in the summit’s final declaration.

Despite diplomatic pressure and thanks to the efforts of the Pretoria government, G20 leaders accepted the declaration, which is usually released at the end of the summit, in the first session.

The final declaration placed emphasis on ending global conflicts, increasing climate finance and placing Africa's development priorities at the center of the global agenda.

The statement noted that Palestine was mentioned for the first time in the same context as other conflicts and reiterated the goals of the Paris Agreement and the need for trillions of dollars in climate finance for developing countries.