JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa will not lower the protocol of the G20 by handing over the presidency to junior US officials.
That’s Pretoria’s stance ahead of the United States assuming the rotating presidency on Sunday.
In his opening remarks, Ramaphosa warned that nothing should be allowed to undermine the value, stature or impact of Africa’s first G20 presidency.
Reflecting on the ministerial and technical meetings that paved the way for the summit, Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of continued collaboration.
Attention is shifting to whether the United Kingdom, set to lead in 2027, will sustain the momentum created in South Africa.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola insists the US will receive the handover through his department, in keeping with established protocol.
President Ramaphosa maintains South Africa, as a founding member of the G20, has long worked to secure a permanent space for Africa’s and the Global South’s development priorities firmly on the G20 agenda.
But with South Africa as a host of the Leaders’ Summit, taking place for the first time on the African continent, the acid test is whether those long-standing efforts will ultimately translate into tangible outcomes.
- eNCA’s Moloko Moloto reports.