Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Johannesburg from November 21 to 23 to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit hosted by South Africa, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
The meeting marks the fourth consecutive G20 Summit held in the Global South and highlights a continued shift toward developing country leadership on global economic and governance issues.
At the Summit, the Prime Minister will present India’s perspectives on the G20 agenda and is expected to speak in all three sessions.
The MEA said he will also hold bilateral meetings with several leaders on the margins of the gathering and participate in the India Brazil South Africa Leaders’ Meeting being hosted by South Africa.
The first session titled "Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Leaving No One Behind" will focus on strengthening global economic recovery, expanding trade opportunities, improving development financing and addressing the growing debt burden on vulnerable economies.
The second session titled "A Resilient World – the G20’s Contribution" will take up disaster risk reduction, climate change, just energy transitions and food systems.
The final session titled "A Fair and a Just Future for All" will address critical minerals, decent work and the governance of artificial intelligence.
Washington has announced that it would skip the first ever G20 Summit to be held in Africa, citing allegations that the host nation which was once governed by a white minority apartheid regime until 1994 now discriminates against white citizens, a charge vehemently denied by the South African government.
The South African government and the ruling African National Congress on Sunday condemned US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would boycott the Summit, calling it an act of imperialist interference.
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula criticised both Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who echoed Trump’s claims, calling their statements false.
Trump announced on Friday that no US representative would attend the meeting, which South Africa is hosting before handing over the annual G20 presidency to the US.
