President Cyril Ramaphosa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched South Africa’s G20 Presidency in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa was escorted by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola.
This is for the first time an African nation chairs the prestigious bloc of both developed and developing economies as South Africa took over the presidency from Brazil.
Ramaphosa has confirmed that South Africa will continue to be a peace-loving country and will desist from its decision to condemn Israel’s latest attack in Gaza which killed approximately 100 Palestinians, mostly women and children in just 24 hours. He said the G20 will not advance the interests of one country as it seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial solutions. Ramaphosa raised concern that the climate crisis is widening.
Reportedly, the Israeli Defence forces (IDF) on Saturday killed at least 40 Palestinians in a single air raid on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, as the death toll from Israel’s attacks rose to at least 100 people.
South Africa’s legal team earlier, filed hundreds of pages in its memorial to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) saying it has presented a clear case to the United Nations’ top court in The Hague that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
President Ramaphosa also confirmed that he has congratulated US President elect Donald Trump to South Africa and attend the G20 summit. He highlighted the importance of dealing with food poisoning which claimed the lives of many in the country, mostly found in Spaza shops.
Ryan Smith MP – DA Deputy Spokesperson on International Relations & Cooperation said South Africa’s G20 Presidency is an exciting international opportunity for the country to not only demonstrate its pride as one of the most multicultural and multi-ethnic democracies in the world, but as a serious global player representing the needs of African nations and the developing world at large.
He said however that under the Government of National Unity (GNU), South Africa must also ensure that its G20 Presidency focuses on achieving the Statement of Intent’s Basic Minimum Programme of Priorities to create a more united, inclusive, and open South African society and economy.
Meanwhile, reportedly the G20 comprises 19 countries including: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States and two regional bodies, namely the European Union and the African Union.
The G20 members include the world’s major economies, representing 85% of global Gross Domestic Product, over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The G20 does not have a permanent secretariat or staff. Instead, the G20 Presidency rotates annually among the members. The G20 Presidency is responsible for bringing together the G20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. To ensure continuity, the Presidency is supported by a “troika” made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was escorted by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola.
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