THE RELEASE AND HANDOVER OF THE SOUTH AFRICA G20 AFRICA EXPERT PANEL REPORT TO PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF MR. TREVOR MANUEL
18 NOVEMBER 2025
A. Background
The Government of South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency from the beginning of December 2024 until the end of November 2025.
The G20 comprises 19 of the world’s most systemically important countries, the African Union and the European Union. Its work proceeds through the G20 Finance and Sherpa Tracks and culminates in an annual Summit of G20 leaders.
The G20 Presidency and most of its meetings for 2025 were being held for the first time on African soil and provided a unique opportunity for the Government of South Africa to focus during its G20 Presidency on issues pertinent to Africa.
Consistent with the Presidency’s intent to draw attention and G20 consideration to African policy challenges in 2025, the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana established a South Africa G20 Africa Expert Panel was established. The Panel is chaired by the former Minister of Finance of South Africa, Mr Trevor Manuel.
B. About the Panel
At the global level, there have been quite a few initiatives launched, such as the Jubilee 2000 Debt campaign to address aspects, as it relates to global country debt levels.
However, during the South African G20 Presidency, the Africa Expert Panel specifically considered matters as they relate to Africa and vulnerable countries.
Africa is grappling with an unprecedented debt crisis.
This year African countries will pay close to $89 billion in external debt service alone, with 20 low-income countries at risk of debt distress. More than half of Africa’s 1.3-billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on social issues such as health, education and infrastructure. The high level of debt is unsustainable and undermines efforts towards sustainable development and poverty alleviation. There is a need for bold and urgent action on a comprehensive plan to deal with the high levels of debt of Africa and other developing countries.
South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 presented an opportunity for African countries to advance issues affecting the Continent. This was to be achieved through dialogue and collaboration amongst African Member States’ public sector, think tanks, and organised businesses to articulate common positions and priorities within the G20 framework. The
overall objective of the Africa Expert Panel is to offer strategic advice by exploring and defining strategies that advance Africa’s collective developmental interests through increased voice, effective representation, and the achievement of a reformed and all-inclusive global economic policy through the G20.
The Panel is comprised of a formidable and diverse group of persons drawn from across the globe. 20 out of the 26 are from the African continent and cut across 4 language groups and continental regions. It held meetings across the world in pursuit of delivering on its objectives.
C. Release of the South Africa G20 Africa Expert Panel Report
The South Africa G20 Africa Expert Panel has finalized its stand-alone report. The release of the Report will be followed by further work over the next 12-24 months together with the African Union and the respective pan-African agencies.
Report of the South Africa G20 Africa Expert Panel for the G20 Leaders’
DATE: 18 NOVEMBER 2025
VENUE: PROTEA HOTEL, WANDERERS
TIME: 14H00