International Relations and Cooperation Director-General (DG) Zane Dangor has emphasised South Africa’s commitment to prioritising Africa’s development and equality during its G20 Presidency.
Dangor, who also serves as South Africa’s G20 Sherpa, said this during a consultation meeting on the G20 with his African Union Commission (AUC) counterpart, Ambassador Albert Muchanga. Muchanga is a G20 Sherpa and Commissioner of Economy, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM).
Echoing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sentiments about the country’s Presidency of the G20, he said South Africa would place Africa’s development at the top of the agenda.
South Africa’s upcoming G20 Presidency is set to commence on 1 December 2024 after it takes over from Brazil, which is hosting the G20 Summit in November this year.
Dangor said he hoped that South Africa’s G20 Presidency would bring to the fore the needs, not just of African countries, but other developing nations as well.
“The idea of strengthening the voice of the South is going to be very critical,” said Dangor.
He touched on the looming deadline of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and acknowledged that the continent has not achieved the desired progress.
Dangor said the country will also look at implementing some of the issues that may have been agreed upon in the past.
“We will focus on the extent to which we can lay the basis for implementation. It may be the form of review, but it may be in the form of just putting in place the building groups for implementation. We are hoping that working with AU, we can galvanise the resources and the policy know-how and capabilities of all countries,” said Dangor.
The meeting’s key points included the need for inclusive global economic policy, the importance of the compact with Africa (initiated by Germany in 2017 during its G20 Presidency) to attract investment, and the necessity of international tax cooperation.
Muchanga highlighted the AU’s role in coordinating African interests, with a focus on leveraging resources and policy know-how.
“We need an inclusive framework of international tax cooperation at the level of the United Nations, and I think South Africa and other African countries, such as Nigeria and Ghana, have been at the forefront of mobilising the rest of the working world, including Africa, to buy into the idea.”
The Commissioner also spoke about the importance of forming a united front with other African countries.
“South Africa, as the permanent member [of the G20], and the specially invited countries of Egypt, Angola and Nigeria, together with the African Union, were able to get together because in those meetings what we agreed [is] that, as we go along, we should be collaborating and consulting, so that when we sit in the G20, were able to speak with one strong voice,” Muchanga said.
He also took the time to assure Dangor that South Africa has the support of the AU and the AUC, as it assumes the “very important” position of Presidency of the G20.
Meanwhile, challenges such as geopolitical conflicts and the need for a unified approach to address issues like climate change and indebtedness were also addressed.
The two leaders concluded their meeting with a commitment to work together to achieve these goals.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, also took the time to conduct a courtesy call with Muchanga in his boardroom and to welcome him.
Lamola praised Muchanga for his stellar job as the G20 Sherpa and said his presence strengthened their working relationship leading up to South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
He also assured delegates that South Africa’s theme will ensure it sees sustainability of the environment, which is intertwined with climate change. – SAnews.gov.za
