by Rogers Dhliwayo

As South Africa gears up for its G20 presidency in 2025, it stands at a defining moment, ready to shape global dialogues and policies. The country’s forthcoming G20 presidency represents a strategic opportunity to enact significant global change. By harnessing diverse global perspectives and regional insights, the country is uniquely positioned to advocate for policies that tackle immediate challenges and forge paths toward sustainable and inclusive development. 

South Africa should adopt global best practices for inclusive economic recovery, climate change resilience, and health system strengthening. Drawing inspiration from Indonesia, India, Brazil, and insights from the United Nations Summit of the Future, South Africa can promote sustainable growth, digital transformation, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Increasing climate finance and renewable energy projects will drive sustainable development. Emulating Brazil and Indonesia in healthcare, with a focus on mental health, will bolster health systems. Education and youth empowerment reforms, along with enhanced trade and investment strategies, will prepare the workforce and boost competitiveness. Good governance and fostering technology and innovation, inspired by global models, will ensure comprehensive development.

In detail, below are some of the key strategic actions and policy reform suggestions that South Africa can adopt to transform the economic and development landscape, and impact real change during and beyond its G20 presidency. 

1. Economic recovery and resilience: In the wake of global challenges, inclusive growth is paramount; South Africa should adopt and promote policies that ensure economic benefits reach every corner of society, particularly marginalized communities. By looking at Indonesia’s approach to inclusive development and India’s digital revolution through its Digital India initiative, South Africa should aim to foster sustainable growth and accelerate digital transformation. Supporting SMEs with strategies inspired by Brazil’s and Indonesia’s support systems will further drive economic diversification and job creation.

2. Climate change and sustainable development: As climate change continues to be a global menace, South Africa should advocate for a robust increase in climate finance and a shift towards renewable energy projects. Drawing lessons from Indonesia's leadership in green finance and India’s advancements in solar energy, South Africa should promote sustainable agricultural practices too, learning from Brazil’s climate-smart agriculture and Indonesia’s sustainable palm oil initiatives to bolster food security and mitigate climate impacts.

3. Strengthening health systems: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity of robust health systems. Emulating Brazil’s unified health system and Indonesia’s comprehensive pandemic response, South Africa should champion the strengthening of healthcare delivery and pandemic preparedness. A particular emphasis should be placed on mental health, ensuring comprehensive services are integrated into public health strategies.

4. Education and human capital development: The foundation of a nation’s growth lies in its investment in education and human capital. South Africa should be inspired by India’s educational reforms and Indonesia’s focus on teacher quality. Additionally, programs that empower the youth, similar to those in Brazil, will be crucial to preparing the workforce for future job markets, with a special focus on vocational training and digital skills.

5. Enhancing trade and investment: Improving trade facilitation and creating a conducive investment climate are key to strengthening South Africa’s global trade position. Lessons from India’s trade policy reforms and Indonesia’s job creation laws will guide efforts to enhance export competitiveness and attract foreign direct investment, particularly within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

6. Governance and institutional strengthening: Good governance and effective institutional reforms are the backbones of successful policy implementation. South Africa looks to Brazil’s anti-corruption initiatives and Indonesia’s e-government models to promote transparency, accountability, and public service delivery during the G20 presidency.

7. Fostering technology and innovation: In an era driven by technology, fostering an innovation ecosystem is critical. South Africa should emulate India’s thriving startup ecosystem and Indonesia’s innovation hubs to support research and development and ensure digital inclusion across all demographics.

8. Global health and vaccine equity: Promoting equitable vaccine distribution and enhancing global health cooperation are imperative. Drawing from Indonesia’s advocacy for vaccine equity and its pivotal role in the global vaccine supply chain, South Africa should be committed to ensuring fair health resources distribution.

To advance its G20 vision, South Africa can collaborate with G20 member countries, international and regional organizations, the private sector, civil society, academic institutions, financial institutions, and philanthropic organizations. These partnerships will help promote inclusive growth, sustainable development, and global cooperation during its G20 presidency.

About the author

Rogers Dhliwayo is Economics Adviser, UNDP South Africa Country Office, Pretoria, South Africa. This blog was crafted to spark policy debates on the key issues that South Africa should champion during its G20 presidency. The views expressed in this policy brief are those of the authors and do not represent the views of UNDP, the United Nations or any of its affiliate organizations. For more information, please contact the  author at rogers.dhliwayo@undp.org