G20 in South Africa: A Historic Declaration Despite US Boycott

The G20 summit in Johannesburg, held for the first time on the African continent on November 22 and 23, 2025, marks a major diplomatic milestone: despite the US boycott, leaders successfully adopted an ambitious final declaration, championed by the South African presidency. The final declaration places Africa at the heart of the global agenda with strong commitments: tripling renewable energy by 2030, alleviating the debt burden for the poorest countries, securing access to strategic minerals, and strengthening multilateralism. The text also reaffirms the importance of the “Compact with Africa” and frames solidarity with the continent within a sustainable development perspective. In a bold diplomatic move, Cyril Ramaphosa chose to have the declaration adopted at the opening of the summit, despite the American absence, sending a clear signal: the priorities of the Global South will not be sacrificed. The South African president hailed the adoption of the text as a victory for multilateral cooperation, despite geopolitical divisions. A Risky Bet for the Climate On the climate front, the commitment to triple renewable energy is particularly symbolic, reflecting the will of developing countries to take control of their energy destiny. This bet remains ambitious nonetheless: it will depend on massive investments and international coordination, especially in the face of persistent reluctance from certain powers. Relief for Poor Countries, But… The debt component poses another challenge: while the declaration calls for creditor transparency and reforms of the financial system, its implementation will require drastic concessions from public and private creditors. Without active participation from the United States, these reforms risk remaining mere political intentions. Minerals at the Heart of the Debate The issue of strategic minerals—lithium, cobalt, rare earths—was also highlighted, underscoring Africa's crucial geoeconomic role in the global energy transition. Leaders aim to strengthen the resilience of supply chains in the face of geopolitical tensions. When the G20 Talks About PEACE On the peace front, the G20 calls for a “just and lasting peace” in several conflict zones, including Ukraine and Palestine. However, the declaration remains cautious: there are no firm commitments, and the concrete scope of these words will largely depend on developments on the ground. The fact that the G20 presidency will pass to the United States next year raises questions of continuity: will the commitments made in Johannesburg be concretely pursued if Washington reorients the forum according to its priorities? The real impact of the decisions will depend on the willingness of powers to transcend their strictly national zones of interest. Ultimately, the summit allowed South Africa to restore meaning to multilateralism and bring the issues of the Global South to the forefront. But the adoption of an ambitious text does not guarantee its realization: the real challenge begins now.