Closing Address by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes (MP), to the C20 Summit, 14 November 2025

Chairperson of the C20 South Africa, Mr Thulani Tshefuta,
C20 Sherpa, Mr Mabalane Mfundisi,
Head Delegate of South Africa's Foreign Service, Ms Salomi Baloyi,
Distinguished Members of Civil Society,
Representatives of the G20 Engagement Groups,
Esteemed Delegates, Friends and Partners,

Good afternoon,

Welcome to South Africa, the land of Nelson Mandela, the rainbow nation of Desmond Tutu.

We gather here today at a moment of profound global uncertainty-yet also a moment rich with possibility. Across the world, people are demanding that multilateralism rediscover its moral centre. They are insisting that power must listen; that economies must serve humanity; and that the global governance system must be rebuilt on the foundations of justice, dignity, and accountability.

It is therefore an honour for me to address you at the closing of the Civil 20 Summit under the powerful and timely theme: Civil Society for a Just, Inclusive, and Sustainable Future. This is not merely the end of a programme-it is the reaffirmation of a global social contract shaped by the organised conscience of humanity.

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, and in my capacity as Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, I extend our deepest appreciation to the C20 South Africa leadership, the Working Groups, and the over 3,000 civil society organisations from across the globe who have contributed to this year's Policy Pack.

This Summit marks a historic moment. It is the first time the C20 has been hosted on African soil. The permanent membership of the African Union to the G20 has reinforced South Africa's G20 Presidency as an African G20, rooted in inclusion and representation. These are not mere milestones, they are signals of a shifting global order, one that must be more democratic, more inclusive, and more just.

And because this Summit takes place on the African continent-where struggles against colonialism, apartheid, and structural exclusion shaped some of the most powerful lessons in people-centred governance-the symbolism is not lost on us. Civil society was not a spectator in Africa's liberation; it was the catalyst. Today, you carry that same mandate into the future of global governance.

The C20 is not just a side event to the G20. It is a critical process in the success and credibility of the G20 and a vital pillar of global governance. You are the conscience of our collective efforts; the voice of the people; and the architects of a future that leaves no one behind.

Your Policy Pack is more than just a set of recommendations. It is a blueprint for transformative change. It correctly calls for the reform of global financial systems; it demands climate justice; it insists on the protection of civic space; and it reminds us that sustainability without equity is a fiction.

We have heard your clarion call: that the future is political, and that justice delayed is justice denied.

When South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency, we did so with a clear vision and a clarity of purpose: to place Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability at the heart of global cooperation.

Solidarity, because we know that no country, no community, and no person can be safe until all are safe. Equality, because we understand that development must be people-centred, gender-and race just, and inclusive of all identities, abilities, demographics and geographies. Sustainability, because we recognise that our planet is not a resource to be exploited, but a home to be protected.

These are not abstract ideals. They are the lived realities of communities in Limpopo and Lahore, in Lagos and La Paz, in Soweto and São Paulo. And in each of these communities, we see the same truth: inequality is no accident-it is engineered. And therefore, justice must also be engineered through deliberate, redistributive and people-driven policy action.

Allow me to reflect on a few of the critical priorities you have raised:

• On economic justice, you have called for the reform of the IMF and World Bank, for debt cancellation, and for reparative financing. We support these calls. The global financial architecture must reflect the realities of a multipolar and multi-cultural world order. It must serve the many, not the few. In this regard, we welcome the recent launch of the Report on Debt, Inequality and the Future of Multilateralism by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which provides a compelling case for a new global consensus on debt justice.
• On climate and environmental justice, you have demanded a just transition that is community-defined, gender-responsive, and rooted in Indigenous knowledge. We agree that energy transition must not replicate the injustices of the past. It must empower workers, protect biodiversity, and ensure universal access to clean energy.
• On digital inclusion, you have proposed a Global Artificial Intelligence Yearly Assessment Mechanism, and called for accessible, rights-based digital infrastructure. We support this. Technology must be a tool for liberation, not exclusion. We are particularly proud of the G20 Presidency deliverable, AI for Africa initiative, which seeks to harness artificial intelligence to drive inclusive development, ethical innovation, and digital sovereignty across the continent.
• On health equity, you have urged investment in primary health care, regional manufacturing, and the protection of health workers. We echo this. Health is a human right, not a privilege. South Africa's commitment to Universal Health Coverage is embodied in our National Health Insurance (NHI) legislation, which aims to ensure that every person, regardless of income, has access to quality health services.
• On gender justice, you have called for the elimination of gender-based violence, the recognition of unpaid care work, and the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons and persons with disabilities. We stand with you. Feminist leadership and intersectional policy are essential to sustainable development. Yet we must also confront the growing fragmentation at the global level, where gender equality is increasingly politicised, and hard- won rights are being rolled back. We must resist this regression with unity and resolve.
• On civic space, you have reminded us that democracy is not only about elections. It is about participation, transparency, and accountability. We hear you. Civil society must be protected, not policed. In the face of rising right-wing populism and authoritarianism, we must defend the right to organise, to dissent, and to dream.

Next week, South Africa will host the G20 Social Summit in Ekurhuleni, the 4th and Final Sherpa Meeting and the Leaders' Summit. The Declaration will be handed directly to President Ramaphosa as Chair of the G20.

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, I formally receive these declarations and commit to elevating their priorities as we conclude our Presidency and as they feed into the final Leaders' Summit outcomes. South Africa's G20 Presidency has insisted that the G20 must lift voices, not leave constituencies behind. And today, we commit to ensuring that the voices of civil society are not only heard but heeded.

We commit to championing the C20's recommendations in the Sherpa Track, and in the Leaders' Declaration. As we prepare for the G20 Leaders' Summit, and as we pass the baton to the United States for the 2026 Presidency, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose.

We commit to working with you to institutionalise the C20 as a permanent, resourced, and respected engagement group within the G20 architecture. And we commit to building a multilateralism that is not only effective, but ethical.

History tests us not in moments of comfort, but in moments of fracture. The rise of inequality, the erosion of civic freedoms, the weaponisation of technology, and the worsening climate catastrophe demand courage- not caution, boldness and bravery.

Civil society has spoken with clarity. The C20 has delivered a global mandate. The question now is whether the G20 will match your ambition. South Africa will do everything within its Presidency-and beyond-to ensure that the work done here becomes the backbone of a more just global order. This is the essence of solidarity. This is the promise of equality. This is the path to sustainability. And this is our shared responsibility-to build a world where power is accountable, where justice is non-negotiable, and where the dignity of every person is protected.

The only thing we learn from history, is that we learn nothing from history (Georg Hegel). We must learn from history… that history will be kind to those who stood with the oppressed. Let us walk it together.

This is South Africa's Pact for the Future!

I thank you.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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