World cannot afford G20 to be weakened, warns Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the G20 is an important multilateral platform that should not be weakened.
Ramaphosa officially opened the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on Saturday.
Ramaphosa opened the G20 summit by emphasising the need for "multilateralism" to confront "the threats facing humanity today".
His call was made to a room full of leaders from major economies around the world, with the notable exception of US President Donald Trump, who boycotted the summit.
"The G20 underscores the value of the relevance of multilateralism," Ramaphosa said in an opening address.
Ramaphosa also announced that the summit had adopted its declaration by consensus.
He told leaders that there was an overwhelming consensus that one of the first tasks of the summit should be the early adoption of the declaration.
Traditionally, the declaration is only finalised and announced at the end of a G20 summit, and according to the programme shared with the media, it was originally scheduled for Sunday.
However, Ramaphosa said adopting it at the start sends a clear signal to the world that multilateralism can deliver.
Ramaphosa also told world leaders and delegates that the greatest impediment to sustainable growth is the disparities in wealth and development between countries.
"It is essential that we break down divisions of economic status, gender, race and geography.
"The threats facing humanity today – from escalating geopolitical tensions, global warming, pandemics, energy and food insecurity to inequality, unemployment, extreme poverty and armed conflict – jeopardise our collective future."
Ramaphosa said the significance of the summit being held in Africa lies in the hopes and aspirations of the people of Africa and the world.
He said the member states should not allow anything to diminish the value or the impact of the African G20 Presidency.
"This G20 Leaders’ Summit has a responsibility not to allow the integrity and the credibility of the G20 to be weakened.
"The adoption of the declaration from the summit sends an important signal to the world that multilateralism can and does deliver,” he added.
