World leaders at the first G20 Summit held on African soil adopted the Johannesburg Leaders’ Declaration on Sunday, announcing wide-ranging commitments on peace, global finance, climate action, and Africa’s growing role in the global economy.
Grounded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, the declaration said global development must “leave no one behind,” positioning Africa at the center of several new frameworks.
The G20 expressed concern over worsening conflicts, reaffirming support for the UN Charter and urging peaceful resolutions in Sudan, the DRC, Ukraine, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Leaders condemned terrorism and called for strict adherence to international humanitarian law.
Climate and Disaster Preparedness
With extreme weather intensifying, the bloc committed to expanding global disaster-warning systems and financing for vulnerable countries.
South Africa was recognized as the first nation to roll out a national plan under the UN’s Early Warnings for All initiative.
Debt and Financial Reform
The declaration described rising debt in developing nations as a key barrier to growth. Leaders backed efforts to strengthen the Common Framework, increase debt transparency, and explore debt-for-climate swaps.
They also endorsed new Financial Stability Board guidance on risks from non-bank institutions and tighter oversight of crypto assets.
Energy and Critical Minerals
Leaders supported the Mission 300 Initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030 and a clean-cooking plan to curb deaths linked to unsafe fuels.
A new G20 Critical Minerals Framework aims to boost local processing and sustainable mining in resource-rich countries.
Food Security and Africa’s Economic Agenda
The summit endorsed South Africa’s Ubuntu Approaches on Food Security and renewed commitments to strengthen African agriculture and supply chains.
A major outcome was the launch of the G20 Africa Engagement Framework (2025–2030), which expands support for AfCFTA integration and efforts to reduce illicit financial flows.
Global Governance Reform
Marking the UN’s 80th anniversary, leaders called for “transformative” Security Council reforms to give Africa and other underrepresented regions a greater voice.
They also backed ongoing WTO reform efforts ahead of the 2026 ministerial meeting in Cameroon.
Leaders praised South Africa’s presidency for reshaping the global agenda around equity and resilience.
Analysts say the 2025 Johannesburg Summit could be one of the most consequential G20 gatherings, firmly elevating Africa’s position in global decision-making.
