South Africa’s tenure as host of the 2025 G20 Summit the first held on African soil unfolded against a backdrop of intense geopolitical strain, particularly its deteriorating relationship with the United States. Despite these pressures, analysts say the country successfully steered the summit and projected itself as an increasingly influential voice for the Global South.
The summit’s lead-up was marked by a diplomatic rupture after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would not attend the gathering en masse, a move widely viewed as undermining multilateral cooperation. Contrary to expectations, other Western nations did not follow suit. Several long-standing partners instead reinforced their support for Pretoria: Spain aligned itself with South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, while the European Union pledged €4.7 billion to bolster the country’s energy and pharmaceutical sectors following the withdrawal of US PEPFAR funding.
This international backing strengthened South Africa’s resolve in managing tensions with Washington, enabling it to assert its sovereignty rather than yield to pressure from a dominant global power. Observers say the success of the 2025 summit underscored the country’s ability to maintain geopolitical autonomy while championing the interests of developing nations.
The Johannesburg G20 Declaration placed the needs of the Global South at its core, with commitments to improving disaster resilience, accelerating a just energy transition, and expanding critical mineral beneficiation key obstacles to growth across developing economies.
South Africa’s leadership on energy justice further cemented its role as a leading advocate for equitable development. The declaration stressed that energy security is central to sovereignty and global prosperity, reinforcing Pretoria’s position as a shaping force in the international development agenda.
Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa has also adopted strong stances on global justice issues, positioning itself as a principled and reliable partner in multilateral institutions and distancing itself from unilateral or hegemonic approaches to global governance.
While domestic challenges such as high youth unemployment, slow economic growth, and persistent gender-based violence remain sources of criticism, analysts argue that South Africa’s diplomatic performance during its G20 presidency signals its growing importance on the world stage.