Trump Out, Global South In Focus At South Africa G20: What's On Modi's Agenda At Key Summit?

Leaders and delegates from the world's richest nations and top developing countries are gathering this weekend for the Group of 20 summit in South Africa amidst a boycott by US President Donald Trump and his administration.

In a special briefing by MEA on the prime minister's visit to South Africa, India's Secretary (ER) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Sudhakar Dalela, said that the South African Summit has an echo of the priorities recognised during the Indian presidency of the G20 Summit."The Johannesburg G20 Summit will mark the culmination of first cycle of 20 G20 Presidencies. The priorities identified by South Africa are aligned with those of India's G20 Presidency and that of Brazil, ensuring continuity in G20 discussions from the perspective of matters that are important to Global South," he said.

US out, Global South in focus

Dalela said that the presidency focuses on the issues of the Global South, which have trickled down from previous presidencies."The Indian G20 Presidency had established a disaster risk reduction working group, signifying the importance India attaches to the matter, South African presidency has carried forward the work related to the disaster risk reduction and resilience as key priorities at its own presidency. Similarly, through the task force and food security that South African presidency has carried forward the dialogue on this important challenge as well. The South African presidency has in a way continued focus on issues of importance to global south," he said.Priorities from the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, like digital public infrastructure, women-led development, and the action plan to accelerate progress on SDGs, were carried forward in the Johannesburg Summit."The New Delhi's leaders' declaration had provided a strong basis of many of the G20 outcome documents adopted this year in the various ministerial tracts. The Indian Presidency's flagship priorities sets as digitial public infrastructure, women-led development, the action plan to accelerate progress on SDGs, as well as key outcomes of the working group from last year including disaster risk reduction, working group and empowerment of women working group, initiated by India has found strong resonance in South African Presidency," he said.

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Why PM Modi's presence is key

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Johannesburg from November 21 to 23 at the invitation of the President of South Africa. This will be Prime Minster's fourth official visit to South Africa, following his bilateral visit in 2016 and later for the two BRICS Summits in 2018 and 2023. The Johannesburg summit will also have the conclusion of four emerging economies, namely Indonesia, India, Brazil, and South Africa. Moreover, PM Modi will participate in the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) leaders meeting as well as hold bilateral meetings with several leaders who will be present in Johannesburg.Dalela said that the summit is essential for the continuity of India's priorities set during its presidency. "In the first G20 Summit that will be happening on the African soil and in that context will bring the spotlight on the development issues of Africa as also of the global south. It may also be recalled that it was during India's G20 presidency in 2023, that the African Union was inducted into G20 as permanent member. Apart from G20 members, South Africa has invited several guest countries, non-members that we know and several heads of international organisations in the Summit in Johannesburg," he said.After its induction in 2023, this is the first presidency of South Africa.(With PTI inputs)