G20 Leaders Adopt Landmark Declaration in Johannesburg, Reaffirm Commitment to Solidarity, Equality and Inclusive Growth

Johannesburg, Nov 2025 : The leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) on Saturday adopted a landmark declaration at the historic Johannesburg Summit— the first G20 Leaders’ Summit held on African soil under South Africa’s presidency. The declaration, finalized after extensive deliberations, focuses on solidarity, equality, sustainability, and inclusive growth, even as the United States boycotted the event, alleging mistreatment of minority white farmers in South Africa.

Despite the US absence, the declaration was unanimously adopted by the remaining member nations, underscoring the grouping’s resolve to advance multilateral cooperation. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing the leaders at the summit’s opening, strongly affirmed the continuing relevance of the G20 in tackling global challenges.

“The G20 underscores the value and relevance of multilateralism. The adoption of the declaration sends an important signal that multilateralism can and does deliver. It tells the world that as G20 leaders, we will remain committed to our pledge to leave no person, no community and no country behind,” Ramaphosa said.

Ahead of the summit, Ramaphosa asserted that South Africa would not succumb to external pressure and that the G20’s work would continue irrespective of Washington’s participation. “The talks are going extremely well. I am confident we are moving towards the declaration,” he said on Thursday during the G20 Social Summit closing ceremony in Boksburg.

Strengthening Priorities Set by India’s 2023 Presidency

The Johannesburg Declaration builds on the developmental priorities championed by India during its presidency in 2023. The Indian presidency had emphasized the need for a unified global approach to accelerate the progress of developing nations and strengthen the voice of the Global South within multilateral institutions.

“For the first time, G20 Leaders have convened in Africa. In the spirit of Ubuntu—‘I am because we are’—we recognise that nations cannot thrive in isolation. We reaffirm our commitment to ensure that no one is left behind through multilateral cooperation, macroeconomic coordination, and global partnerships,” the declaration stated.

The leaders highlighted that amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, cooperation remains the only sustainable path to addressing shared global challenges. Reaffirming support for the UN Charter, the declaration stressed that all states must refrain from the use of force to acquire territory, uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promote respect for human rights without prejudice.

Strong Message Against Terrorism and Illicit Finance

The declaration also delivered a strong message against terrorism in all its forms. The G20 reaffirmed support for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and regional FATF-style bodies in strengthening global systems to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

The leaders committed to intensifying efforts to prevent the misuse of legal entities, enhance asset recovery, improve transparency in payments systems, and encourage safe innovation in the virtual assets sector while mitigating risks of illicit financial flows.

PM Modi Calls for “Integral Humanism” and Greater Voice for Global South

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the session titled “Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind”, invoked the principle of Integral Humanism, rooted in India’s civilizational wisdom. He emphasized the need to harmonize global progress with environmental sustainability, arguing that development must be human-centric and planet-friendly.

PM Modi welcomed the continuity of several initiatives launched during India’s G20 presidency, including work on AI, digital public infrastructure, skilled migration, tourism, innovation, women’s empowerment, and food security. He also reiterated India’s call for greater representation of the Global South in global governance frameworks.

India Proposes Four Major Global Initiatives

Articulating India’s vision of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, PM Modi made four major proposals:

1. Global Traditional Knowledge Repository:
   A G20-led initiative to preserve, document, and share traditional knowledge systems, including indigenous practices related to health, agriculture, and sustainability.
2. G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative:
   A focused project to enhance skill development across African nations through training partnerships, capacity building, and technology-driven learning platforms.
3. G20 Global Healthcare Response Team:
   A coordinated global mechanism to ensure rapid health emergency preparedness, strengthening pandemic response capacity and improving global health resilience.
4. G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus:
   A platform to strengthen cooperation against the growing connection between narcotics trafficking and terrorism financing.

A Milestone Moment for Africa and Multilateralism

The Johannesburg Summit marks a milestone moment in G20 history— bringing the world’s most influential leaders to Africa for the first time and reinforcing the continent’s central role in shaping global economic and political priorities.

By adopting the declaration despite geopolitical differences, the G20 leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to multilateralism, global solidarity, and inclusive development— a message that resonated strongly across the Global South and beyond.