SA’s G20 presidency will aim to promote African and Global South interests, says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa engages with members of Parliament (Lucky Montana) by responding to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly in Parliament , Cape Town on 17 October 2024.(Photo: Kopano TlapeGCIS)

By Victoria O’Regan

17 Oct 2024

African and Global South representation in global institutions is going to be high on the agenda during South Africa’s presidency of the G20, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South Africa will use its presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) in 2025 to advocate for the promotion of African and Global South interests, Ramaphosa told MPs on Thursday.

“We see this G20, which will be held for the very first time in Africa, as a great platform for us as South Africa, to promote the interests of our continent and the Global South as well. The issue of representation in global institutions is going to be quite prominent,” he said in a question-and-answer session before the National Assembly.

Read more: Zelensky leans on Ramaphosa to crack invite to G20 summit in Brazil

South Africa will assume the G20 presidency from 1 December 2024, after the summit in Brazil in November.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola revealed in a recent parliamentary reply that the government is expected to spend about R691-million to host the G20 summit in 2025, which would include meetings of sherpas and foreign ministers beforehand. It is expected to take place on 27 and 28 November.

“We, as the incoming president of the G20, have selected a theme that talks to solidarity, equality and sustainable development,” Ramaphosa said.

“Embedded in this theme is really the equal treatment of all nations in the world, and particularly the equal treatment for our continent which has, for the longest time, been excluded from key positions where decisions affecting the world are made.”

Read more: Lamola champions government diplomacy, yet critics question SA’s commitment to African democracy

Ramaphosa said South Africa would be arguing “very strong views” at the G20, to be adopted in the declaration, that the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and other global institutions “should take into account the views of those countries that have been excluded, for the longest time, from participating meaningfully in such structures”.

South Africa would “advance the representation of those countries that have been excluded” at the summit of the BRICS forum in Kazan, Russia, next week and at the G20 summit in Brazil this year.

G20 Ramaphosa Malema President Cyril Ramaphosa engages with EFF leader Julius Malema in the National Assembly at Parliament on 17 October 2024.(Photo: Kopano Tlape \ GCIS)

UN Security Council reforms

The president told MPs that South Africa will remain an “ardent voice for the urgent reform” of the UNSC.

“South Africa maintains that the international political and economic system remains unequal and unjust. It reflects the world as it was more than 70 years ago. Not as it is today,” he said.

“It has not been able, in recent years, to prevent or resolve several damaging conflicts around the world. This is evident in conflicts currently under way in the Middle East, in Sudan, in the Eastern DRC and between Russia and Ukraine.”

Read more: Why South Africa should spend more money on the G20

Africa’s common position on UN reforms calls for two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats for Africa on the UNSC. Its position “calls for the abolishment of the veto right and prerogative that is currently held by five members. But it also says that for as long as the veto exists, it is a privilege and prerogative which should be extended to all new permanent members as well,” Ramaphosa said.

The five permanent Security Council members are the US, China, Russia, France and the UK. In September, the US said it would support two permanent seats for African states on the UNSC, with a catch being that those seats would exclude veto powers.

Read more: Africa and the US ‘non-proposal’ on UN Security Council reform

“The shortcomings of the Security Council have had a disastrous impact on the African continent and the Global South, which, in many ways, often experiences the social and economic effects of conflicts that are taking place elsewhere.

“Geopolitical realities have changed since the UN was established. Today, African member states make up a quarter of the 193 states that are members of the United Nations. Yet, no single African country has a permanent seat at the table where decisions on the maintenance of international peace and security are made,” Ramaphosa said.

He said this was a particular concern when many of the issues on the council’s agenda concern matters on the continent.

DA MP Emma Powell questioned whether, if South Africa achieved UN reform, it would support the candidacy of countries “simply because they are African”, or whether their adherence to human rights and democracy would be a prerequisite for South Africa’s support.

In response to Powell’s question, Ramaphosa said South Africa’s support for African representation on the UNSC “is based on the principles that have been adopted” by the UN, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community.

G20 Maimane Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa talks to MP and Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane in the National Assembly at Parliament on 17 October 2024.(Photo: Kopano Tlape \ GCIS)

Those three organisations have adopted principles that speak to governance and human rights, he said.

“Our participation and our argument for Africa to be included clearly is going to be in accordance with those principles. And, in the end it is the African Union that is going to take the decision, as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus, on which countries should be represented on the UN Security Council.

“The decision is not going to be taken by South Africa, nor will it be taken by a single particular country. It will be taken by the African Union. And it will be taken on the basis of representativity as well as on the basis of capacity.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa with MK MP Lucky Montana in the National Assembly on 17 October 2024. (Photo: Kopano Tlape \ GCIS)

Severing diplomatic ties with Israel

Ramaphosa was asked by the EFF leader Julius Malema what had become of the National Assembly decision in 2023 to sever diplomatic relations with Israel over its war in Gaza.

Read more: Middle East crisis

With a vote of 248 for and 91 against, a decision was carried by the National Assembly in November 2023 to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and cut diplomatic ties with Israel. The motion was initially brought by Malema, and was amended by the ANC, which called on the government to suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until a ceasefire was agreed and Israel committed to binding UN-facilitated negotiations.

Read more: National Assembly votes to cut diplomatic ties with Israel and shut embassy, but it’s symbolic until government acts

On Thursday, the President said Pretoria was still pondering implementing the vote to cut ties with Israel.

“The executive has noted, fully noted, what the National Assembly took a resolution on, and we have said that this matter is being considered and [we] are also considering the various broad issues around it,” he said.

“Our support for the cause of the Palestinians is irrevocable and we have articulated that here from time to time, and the various other aspects of putting pressure on Israel to do what is right by and for the Palestinians are matters that are being considered and a number of proposals have been put forward.”

Ramaphosa said he would be able to “articulate precisely” the executive's response to the resolution in due course. DM

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