The G20 summit in South Africa — the first ever held on the African continent — concluded with a joint declaration affirming a commitment to “multilateral co-operation.”
Despite objections from the United States, which boycotted the Johannesburg meeting, member nations agreed on measures addressing climate change mitigation and economic inequality.
At the closing ceremony, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the declaration demonstrated that the countries’ “shared goals” outweighed their differences.
US President Donald Trump declined to attend the summit, citing a widely debunked claim that South Africa’s white minority faces widespread killings and land seizures.
The previous three G20 summits were led by Indonesia, India, and Brazil. The US is scheduled to host the next summit in 2026, reportedly at Trump’s golf resort in Florida.
The ceremonial handover of the G20 presidency, originally planned for Sunday, was postponed and is expected to be carried out next week by junior officials.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva dismissed the significance of Trump’s absence, saying multilateralism was “more alive than ever.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the US decision to abstain, telling Reuters that the world is undergoing a major realignment with new global alliances forming.
Delegates also agreed to pursue “just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” in Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Sudanese journalist Saeed Abdalla noted that the mention of Sudan was notable, saying this was the first time in more than two years that the G20 had brought the conflict to the forefront.
