From 1 December 2024, South Africa assumed the Presidency of the G20. South Africa has a unique role to play in the G20 process. Its presidency follows that of a troika of other major developing countries: Brazil (2024), India (2023) and Indonesia (2022), and is expected to carry forward and build on the huge contribution these developing countries have made to the G20 agenda and work programme. At the handing-over ceremony President Cyril Pamaphose announced that South Africa’s G20 Presidency will advance three high-level priorities: Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Inequality; Food Security; and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovation for Sustainable Development - and establish three dedicated task forces.
This Working Paper focuses on the first of the three priorities.The purpose of the paper is to inform the debate of the task force on Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Inequality. It looks at the changing global context impacting on globalisation and international trade and investment; discusses the impact of climate change, particularly on developing countries and Africa, and sets out a framework for a just transition; and provides an assessment of the imbalances and asymmetries of the global trading system, particularly on Africa, and discusses proposals for reform of the global trade architecture.
This Working Paper focuses on the first of the three priorities.The purpose of the paper is to inform the debate of the task force on Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Inequality. It looks at the changing global context impacting on globalisation and international trade and investment; discusses the impact of climate change, particularly on developing countries and Africa, and sets out a framework for a just transition; and provides an assessment of the imbalances and asymmetries of the global trading system, particularly on Africa, and discusses proposals for reform of the global trade architecture.