Heads of State and Government, international organisations, leaders and high-level delegates have arrived for the much anticipated opening day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
The summit – a historic, first of its kind for the African continent – is being held at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, from today until Sunday.
Leaders from countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Namibia, China and Malaysia have all already arrived for the summit.
Deputy government spokesperson, William Baloyi, explained to SAnews the order that dignitaries are set to arrive in.
“We started with international organisations like the United Nations. After that, we received the invited countries –heads of state and leaders of government of the countries that we have invited.
“After that, President Ramaphosa will then receive the G20 members. They have been synchronised to arrive from Sandton to Nasrec,” he said.
Baloyi told SAnews that preparations have gone according to plan.
“We are hosting the whole world here and the preparations thus far have gone so well.
“When you host the world, it’s not easy. Our infrastructure – our ports of entry – is excellent. [Dignitaries] have arrived and we were able to take them to our beautiful facilities in the hospitality industry,” he said.
The deputy spokesperson called on South Africans to offer up their world-famous hospitality to international visitors.
“We want to thank South Africans for the 130 meetings that were held [preceding the Leaders’ Summit]. South Africans attended, South Africans made inputs and made sure that they go well.
“Events of this magnitude inconvenience people. How they use the roads and even now we’ve closed some of the roads. However, the patience and understanding of South Africans has made sure that the people are able to feel welcome.,
“South African road users, we’ve appealed to them…and they have nicely made sure that they play their part. This is part of what makes us South Africans part of a great nation,” Baloyi concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
