President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the G20 Social Summit as “possibly the best of all the G20 summits” praising it as a global gathering defined by inclusiveness, unity and the spirit of Ubuntu.
Delivering his address at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said the Summit’s strength lay in the breadth of voices brought together.
He added with humour that South Africa was effectively hosting a “G-million,” after some had joked that the country was hosting a G100 and G1000 due to the number of related G-processes happening alongside the main summit.
“That is true. We are having a G-million because we are about inclusiveness, bringing people together. And this summit is possibly the best of all the G20 summits that we are going to have. I want to applaud you and thank you all for being here. Thank you for your contributions which have ended up with a beautiful declaration. Beautiful things are happening in South Africa,” the President said.
Ramaphosa arrived to loud cheers from delegates, who welcomed him with a reception fit for a G20 President. The atmosphere set the tone for a session focused on unity, people-centred development and reshaping global cooperation.
A summit rooted in history and solidarity
The President drew parallels between this year’s Social Summit and two historic gatherings held in 1955, the Bandung Conference, where the Global South found its collective voice, and the Congress of the People in Kliptown, where South Africans adopted the Freedom Charter.
He said the 2025 Summit should similarly be remembered as a moment where ordinary people across nations helped shape a new direction for global cooperation.
“One of our greetings, sanibonani, literally means ‘we see each other’,” he said, invoking the principle of Ubuntu.
“We are acknowledging the personhood, value and dignity of the one we are greeting. This is the spirit in which this G20 Social Summit is being held.”
People speaking for themselves
Echoing the deliberations from civil society, President Ramaphosa said the summit ensured global action would be informed by the voices of those most affected by poverty, inequality, climate change and exclusion, instead of decisions being made on their behalf.
He emphasised South Africa’s commitment to ensuring that developing nations’ priorities, including just energy transitions, financial reform, inclusive trade and protection of the vulnerable, remain at the heart of the G20 Presidency.
Over the past year, delegates from Women20, Youth20, Media20, Labour20, Parliament20, Business20, and other formations contributed to what President Ramaphosa called a “beautiful declaration” that will feed directly into the G20 Leaders’ Summit, later this week.
Call for global solidarity
With today marking World Children’s Day, President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of global investment in children, women and marginalised communities.
He warned that gender-based violence remains a crisis that undermines development and fractures societies, calling for men and boys to be active partners in challenging harmful norms.
“No society can thrive for as long as gender-based violence and femicide continues and the agency of women is denied. The violence perpetrated by men against women erodes the social fabric of nations. Here in South Africa, we have declared gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) a national crisis.
“The collective perspectives that have been expressed at this Summit on all these issues and more will enable governments and decision-makers to better understand people’s practical, lived experiences,” he said.
The President said the G20 Social Summit must now serve as the compass that guides the G20 Leaders’ Summit, a reliable tool ensuring that decisions reflect the needs of all nations, not only the most powerful.
“No matter the headwinds, no matter the geopolitical shifts, we will keep our eyes fixed on the horizon of progress and shared prosperity. We will set a new course for the world, and we will create a new future for its people,” the President said.
As the crowd once again erupted in applause, the message was unmistakable - South Africa’s G20 Presidency is not just historic; it is redefining the meaning of global cooperation through unity, humanity and inclusion. – SAnews.gov.za
