South Africa warns that global turmoil could derail development goals

The G20 Sees its Role in Meeting 2030 Development Goals

With over 80 percent of global GDP, the G20 chairs the conversation that could shape whether the 2030 agenda—ending hunger, eliminating extreme poverty and confronting climate change—remains attainable.

The 17 UN Sustainable Development Targets

• Education, climate action and gender equality form the backbone of the blueprint adopted by all UN members in 2015.
• Progress has been uneven, and mounting threats to multilateralism now make those targets appear increasingly out of reach.

South Africa’s G20 Chairmanship

South Africa, which will lead the G20 until November 2025, faces a daunting task: coordinating a broad membership that includes the United States, China, Russia, the European Union and the African Union.

Enoch Godongwana, Pretoria’s finance minister, told G20 finance chiefs and central bank governors:

• Inflation is easing and financial conditions are stabilising in some regions, but global growth is still hampered by uncertainty.
• Rising trade barriers, persistent global imbalances and new geopolitical risks remain major concerns.
• Climate-related shocks are putting the development targets “further out of reach.”

US Policy Shifts and their Impact

The United States, next to assume G20 leadership, has introduced tariffs on countries it calls “anti-American” and reduced foreign aid, especially affecting development projects in Africa.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend the two‑day meeting in Durban. The U.S. will be represented by an undersecretary for international affairs. Bessent also skipped a similar meeting in February, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio missed a G20 foreign ministers’ gathering.

Enoch Godongwana emphasized: “We have a critical role in revitalising and strengthening multilateralism by fostering inclusive dialogue, reinforcing rules‑based cooperation, and driving collective action on global challenges that no country can solve alone.”

Germany’s Commitment

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told journalists that the federal government is “using all possibilities” to discuss how, amid international upheavals and uncertainty, Germany can strengthen its partnerships within the multilateral world order. Despite the non‑binding nature of the bloc’s resolutions, Germany remains committed to the course.

Global Economic Output

The G20, composed of 19 nations and two regional organisations, accounts for more than 80 percent of the world’s economic output. Its performance will continue to be a gauge of global stability and cooperation.