On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced a three-day trip to South Africa to participate in the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. He stated that he would convey India’s viewpoint at the forum, aligning with the vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘One Earth, One Family and One Future’.
This marks the inaugural G20 Summit to be hosted on the African continent.
“I will be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This Summit is particularly significant as it is taking place in Africa. Various global issues will be addressed there. I will be meeting numerous world leaders during the Summit,” Modi shared on X.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister is anticipated to engage in bilateral discussions with several leaders attending in Johannesburg. He will also participate in the sixth IBSA Summit during this time.
In his statement prior to departure, the Prime Minister remarked, “I will present India’s perspective at the Summit in accordance with our vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘One Earth, One Family and One Future’”.
He is visiting South Africa from November 22-23 at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit under South Africa’s Presidency.
“This Summit is particularly special as it is the first G20 Summit being held in Africa. During India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, the African Union became a member of the G20,” Modi noted in his statement.
The Summit will serve as a platform to deliberate on significant global issues. The theme for this year’s G20 is ‘Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability’, which South Africa has advanced from the outcomes of the previous Summits held in New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he mentioned.
“I eagerly anticipate my discussions with leaders from partner countries and my participation in the 6th IBSA Summit scheduled to take place alongside the Summit,” Modi expressed.
“During my visit, I also look forward to engaging with the Indian diaspora in South Africa, which is among the largest outside of India,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that Prime Minister Modi is anticipated to address all three sessions of the Summit.
The Summit’s three sessions encompass “Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Leaving No One Behind: Building our economies, the role of trade, financing for development and the debt burden”.
The other two sessions are titled “A Resilient World – the G20’s Contribution: Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Just Energy Transitions, Food Systems”; and “A Fair and a Just Future for All: Critical Minerals, Decent Work, Artificial Intelligence”.
A senior official from the MEA stated on Thursday that he would refrain from speculating on the contents of the leaders’ declaration, but assured that all significant issues pertinent to India and the Global South will be “emphasized by our leadership”.
This marks the fourth consecutive summit of the grouping to take place in the Global South.
Prior to South Africa, the G20 presidencies were held by Brazil (2024), India (2023), and Indonesia (2022).
During the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi, the African Union was granted permanent membership in the group of the 20 largest economies globally, with Prime Minister Modi announcing its inclusion.
The G20 comprises the world’s major economies, accounting for 85 percent of global GDP, 75 percent of international trade, and two-thirds of the global population, as stated on the G20 website.
The member countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK, the US, the European Union, and the African Union.
