By staff writer
The G20 Summit will for the first time take place on the African continent specifically in South Africa in late November. This marks a pivotal moment in global governance and international diplomacy. Bringing the world’s major economies to African soil represents a deliberate shift in global power dynamics, giving Africa and the broader Global South a stronger platform to shape international priorities. South Africa, as host, emphasizes themes such as solidarity, equality, and sustainability, pushing the world to confront long-standing issues including climate finance, debt relief, and structural reforms to multilateral institutions.
For Africa, the opportunity lies not only in influencing the agenda but also in the economic and reputational benefits that accompany the summit. Tourism, hospitality, and business sectors receive a boost, and South Africa gains visibility as both a political and economic leader on the continent. The presence of global leaders, CEOs, and institutions creates avenues for investment, trade agreements, and long-term partnerships that can outlast the summit itself.
President Xi Jinping’s remarks at earlier G20 gatherings offer useful insight into how major powers frame their engagement with developing nations. Xi has consistently highlighted the need for a fairer global governance system—one that recognizes the aspirations and challenges of the Global South. He has advocated a world order where development is shared, institutions are reformed to reflect new global realities, and the economic playing field is less distorted by unilateral sanctions, protectionism, or geopolitical rivalries. His proposals included support for infrastructure development, expanded scientific and technological cooperation, and new funding commitments aimed at poverty reduction, food security, and green development. Xi’s emphasis on digital cooperation, especially in areas like artificial intelligence, reinforces his argument that technological progress should not become a privilege reserved for wealthy countries.
For Africa and other developing regions, such commitments signal potential avenues for investment, capacity building, and greater inclusion in cutting-edge global innovation.
At the same time, Xi has repeatedly warned against forms of protectionism adopted by wealthier nations, particularly when justified under environmental or technological pretexts. His call to restore the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement mechanism and advance negotiations on digital trade reflects the concerns of many Global South nations that feel excluded or disadvantaged by current trade rules. In this context, China presents itself as a partner aligned with developing countries’ interests, supporting reforms that could give these nations greater influence in global decision-making. For African states, such rhetoric is appealing because it resonates with long-standing frustrations: limited voice in global institutions, inequitable financing terms, and global rules shaped disproportionately by wealthy Western states.
However, the question remains whether the G20 can truly provide a level playing field. The group brings together both rich and poor nations, but it is far from egalitarian. Wealthier nations wield greater influence due to their economic weight, control of global financial systems, and geopolitical leverage. Even though the African Union has gained full membership in the G20, a milestone in itself, institutional inequality persists. Trade structures are still shaped by unequal access and subtle protectionism; global security is dominated by powerful states; and the international order continues to reflect power imbalances rooted in decades of political and economic dominance.
Yet Africa’s hosting of the G20 is a step toward challenging these imbalances. By bringing discussions to African soil, situating African priorities at the heart of the global agenda, and leveraging alliances with partners like China, Africa strengthens its voice in multilateral diplomacy. The summit will not by itself level the global playing field, but it creates momentum toward a more inclusive international system—one where developing nations have greater agency, visibility, and influence over the decisions that shape their futures.
