Zane Dangor, South Africa’s sherpa, said the country’s G20 presidency, beginning in December, will focus on global solidarity, sustainable development, and reducing inequality
By Camila Zarur, Paula Martini — Rio de Janeiro
11/12/2024 04:32 PM Updated 2 weeks ago
As it prepares to take over the G20 presidency in December, South Africa has pledged to continue Brazil’s agenda for the group, which brings together the world’s largest economies, including 19 countries and the European and African Unions. Zane Dangor, South Africa’s G20 sherpa who will lead negotiations next year, told Valor that the South African presidency will follow Brazil’s priorities “very closely.”
Mr. Dangor said South Africa’s key focuses will include global solidarity, sustainable development, and addressing inequality. Artificial intelligence and innovation for developing countries will also be part of this agenda.
“We need to move away from an approach solely focused on economic growth and address inequality and its associated challenges,” he said. Mr. Dangor is also the director-general of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
South Africa will officially assume leadership of the G20 on December 1, with a handover ceremony planned for the end of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 18 and 19. Mr. Dangor noted that there would be “no major departure from what Brazil has done” and what South Africa will pursue.
One of Brazil’s core priorities, reforming global governance, will continue under South Africa’s leadership, with a focus on debt relief for developing nations. Mr. Dangor emphasized the need for these countries to “have a stronger voice in policies that shape the global economy.”
“We aim to transform global governance institutions. Our experience shows that national governments often face limitations due to a global framework that constrains their actions. So, the idea of reshaping this architecture is crucial for us.”
Regarding the U.S., set to take over the G20 presidency in 2027 after South Africa, Mr. Dangor said he has been in contact with U.S. sherpa Daleep Singh, noting convergence between U.S. and G20 priorities.
However, with Donald Trump’s election win, there is concern that the U.S. could reverse commitments made at the G20. Mr. Dangor highlighted South Africa’s priority to implement agreements from recent years to “avoid major disruptions.”
“We’ve begun discussions with the current U.S. sherpa, and, hopefully, there won’t be significant changes. We have considerable overlap on issues we aim to tackle, especially debt, tax reform, and development finance institutions. Brazil, South Africa, and the U.S. have many shared goals here,” Mr. Dangor said.
“Ensuring the implementation of agreements from the past four years is essential to avoid significant disruptions to this trajectory,” he added.
Like Brazil, South Africa plans to hold a Social G20 and a foreign ministers’ meeting during the UN General Assembly in New York. “It’s essential to reinforce that while the G20 is significant for countries like South Africa and Brazil, it is not the UN, which remains the world’s central convening institution. The G20 can influence it, but it does not replace it,” Mr. Dangor said.
The sherpa noted that negotiations have progressed well ahead of the leaders’ summit, though issues concerning climate change and geopolitical conflicts remain. “These are the key areas to watch,” he said, noting broad acceptance of Brazil’s approach to these topics.
South Africa, which has been outspoken about the Gaza conflict, remains critical of Israel. Mr. Dangor acknowledged that the conflict “will always be a matter” for South Africa but emphasized that it would not be addressed in a way that divides the G20. “We will ensure that it is integrated into the shared principles of what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of the use of international force,” he said.
Source: Valor International: https://valorinternational.globo.com/g20-in-brazil/news/2024/11/12/south-africa-pledges-continuity-on-brazils-g20-priorities.ghtml
Photo of Zane Dangor — Photo credit: Leo Pinheiro/Valor
