Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has today arrived in Hamburg, Germany, to attend the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit, says the Presidency.
The G20 Summit is scheduled to take place from Friday until Saturday. The Presidency on Thursday said the summit will be held under the theme “Shaping an Interconnected World”.
South Africa is one of the 19 member countries of the Group of 20 (G20) which, in addition to the European Union (EU), the 20th member, have been meeting regularly since 1999 to discuss global economic policy coordination.
In this year’s summit, the Presidency said, leaders are scheduled to discuss the world economy, trade and investment, employment, strengthening the international financial architecture, financial markets and international tax cooperation and also focus on climate and energy, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, terrorism and extremism, global health, digital technology as well as women empowerment.
President Zuma said South Africa is looking forward to the G20 Summit, as it will provide government a platform to engage and interact with the world leaders, particularly against the unfavourable background of slow global economic growth which impacts on South Africa directly as an integral part of the global economy.
“South Africa’s participation will be guided by key pillars which include promoting world peace and a just global economic order, promoting Africa’s sustainable development through global partnerships, advocating the transformation of international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and the United Nations Security Council, promoting cooperation with other developing countries through strengthening South-South cooperation, as well as further strengthening cooperation with developed countries through further strengthening the North-South Dialogue in the interest of our country and Africa as a whole,” said the Presidency.
The G20, conceptualised to stabilise and strengthen the global economy, brings together the major advanced and emerging market economies, which together represent around 85% of global GDP, 80% of global trade and two-thirds of the world’s population.
President Zuma will also participate in the inform meeting of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Leaders Meeting which will be held on the margins of the G20 Summit, to be chaired by the People’s Republic of China, as the current chair of BRICS.
South Africa assumes the chair next year. President Zuma is accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and Energy Minister Nkhensani Kubayi. - SAnews.gov.za
