President gears up for G20 Leaders' Summit

Friday, June 28, 2019

The global economy, trade and investment, innovation, energy, employment and women’s empowerment are just some of the issues President Cyril Ramaphosa will engage in at the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

President Ramaphosa arrived in Osaka, Japan on Thursday evening for the annual event which kicks off on Friday.

The themes on the summit’s agenda reflect, to a large degree, South Africa’s own national priorities, as set out in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address delivered on Thursday, 20 June 2019.

South Africa will leverage on the summit as a platform for securing financial and other support for infrastructure development; advancing the G20 Compact with Africa initiative and reinforcing the need for strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth at a national and global level.

South Africa will further seek to ensure G20 support for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa and developing regions and countries. This focus includes the combating of illicit financial flows which deprives Africa of resources that could otherwise be harnessed for development.

Ahead of the summit, President Ramaphosa will participate in the BRICS Leaders’ Meeting that will be chaired by Brazil, which seeks to consolidate the blocs' position around the G20 agenda.

The President will also convene the standing trilateral meeting of African Leaders in attendance at the G20 to exchange views with Egypt as Chair of the African Union (AU) and Senegal (NEPAD President) on African priorities for the summit.

President Ramaphosa will also participate in the China-Africa Leaders' Meeting in which South Africa, Egypt, Senegal and United Nations Secretary-General will participate.

The President will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with G20 Leaders during the course of the Summit.

Finally, President Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address at a business round table engagement with Japanese business leaders.

The President is accompanied by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel and the Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize. – SAnews.gov.za