President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a South African delegation to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The summit will kick off on Friday, 30 November and wrap up on 1 December 2018.
Chaired by Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, the Buenos Aires gathering is the first G20 Summit in which President Ramaphosa will participate since being elected President in February 2018.
The summit will be complemented by meetings of finance ministers from G20 member states.
In a statement ahead of the working visit, the Presidency said South Africa views the Summit as a platform from which to promote and strengthen interests of the African continent and the South.
“South Africa further views the G20 as providing meaningful opportunities for advancing global governance reforms and reorienting the international developmental agenda.
“President Ramaphosa will in the course of this working visit hold bilateral meetings with various Heads of State to strengthen and deepen relations with partner countries and present South Africa as an attractive investment destination and trade partner,” said the Presidency.
Argentina assumed the G20 Presidency in November 2017, with a focus throughout this year-long term on ‘Building consensus for fair and sustainable development’.
“The theme resonates well with President Ramaphosa’s own emphasis on the importance of consensus and collaboration in South Africa’s efforts to build an inclusive and sustainable economy and advance social cohesion,” said the Presidency.
Formed in 1999, the G20 was established to bring stability to the global financial system, promote long-term sustainable growth and strengthen global financial governance.
The G20 has since expanded its agenda beyond economic and financial issues to encompass geopolitical matters and issues of peace and security, global governance, environment and international terrorism.
The G20, which consists of the leading developed and developing economies, accounts for 85% of global gross domestic product, 80% of world trade and two-thirds of the world’s population.
President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni; Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, as well as the International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers. – SAnews.gov.za
