Africa hosts first G20 summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged an end to armed conflicts across the African continent, as the conflicts in Sudan, Somalia and other countries as devastating to lives, stability and economic prospects.
AFRICA HOSTS FIRST G20 SUMMIT: RAMAPHOSA’S REMARKS
Africa hosts first G20 summit, President Ramaphosa made the remarks during a working dinner ahead of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, the first G20 gathering ever held on African soil.Ramaphosa said Africa continues to bear the heavy cost of prolonged conflicts that are “devastating lives and leaving economies in tatters,” adding that peace is essential for the continent’s progress.
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“We are convinced that our beloved continent can overcome its challenges and become a leader in prosperity and development. It is us who must work together to make our continent prosperous, peaceful, democratic, united and contribute to a just and equitable world,” Ramaphosa said.
THE DEEP ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Africa hosts first G20 summit, He noted that hosting the G20 summit has placed Africa’s priorities at the center of global attention.
“We have advanced priorities such as disaster resilience, debt sustainability, finance for just energy transitions and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth. We established an Africa expert panel to reinforce Africa’s voice on debt sustainability, the cost of capital, and financing for productive investments,” he added.
Africa hosts first G20 summit, Ramaphosa stressed that deeper economic cooperation is essential for continental development and integration, saying African states must strengthen collaboration, resilience and self-reliance.
THE ATTENDEES OF THE SUMMIT
Africa hosts first G20 summit, around 42 countries and institutions are attending in the Johannesburg summit, but the United States under President Donald Trump are not attending after criticizing South Africa for hosting the event.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa said the US had reached out at the last minute to agree on some kind of participation, but did not disclose details. But within hours, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt hit back, accusing Ramaphosa of “running his mouth,” insisting that the US position had not changed, and that the South African leader’s comments were “not appreciated by the president [Trump] or his team.”
THE WAR IN SUDAN AND THE ONGOINF CONFLICT OF SOMALIA
Africa hosts first G20 summit, the war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict stems from a power struggle following the 2021 coup and is aggravated by regional interests and the legacy of the Darfur genocide.
Somalia’s conflict, ongoing since 1991, involves a combination of political instability, clan rivalries, and the insurgency by the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab against the Federal Government of Somalia. The decades-long war continues to hinder security and governance reforms.
Africa hosts first G20 summit, these crises, alongside others across the continent, feature prominently in discussions at the G20 gathering.
