G20 Summit 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa

G20 Summit 2025 – Johannesburg (South Africa) Concludes with Adoption of Declaration

The first-ever G20 Summit held on African soil concluded in Johannesburg with the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”

Despite the US boycott, leaders unanimously adopted the Johannesburg Declaration, underscoring collective resolve towards inclusive development and global cooperation.

Key Highlights of the Johannesburg Declaration

1. Disaster Resilience & Debt Sustainability

• Emphasis on people-centred disaster preparedness and response.
• Support for debt-burdened developing countries, especially in Africa.
• Stress on sustainable industrialisation, decent job creation, and diversified growth pathways.

2. Climate Action & Energy Transition

• Commitment to expand renewable energy capacity and accelerate clean energy transition.
• Endorsement of the G20 Critical Minerals Framework (voluntary), focusing on responsible extraction and resilient supply chains.
• Reaffirmed global commitments towards:
• Paris Agreement 1.5°C goal
• Global biodiversity conservation targets

3. Reform of Global Institutions

• Strong call for UN Security Council (UNSC) reform to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.
• Support for strengthening multilateralism rooted in Ubuntu—the African philosophy stressing shared humanity and interconnectedness.

4. Social Commitments & Global Security

• Reaffirmed commitment to women’s and girls’ empowerment across economic, social and digital domains.
• Condemned terrorism in all forms, urging enhanced cooperation to combat global terror networks.

Major Ideas Proposed by India at the Summit

1Global Traditional Knowledge Repository: A shared platform to document and utilize traditional, indigenous, and civilizational knowledge for sustainable development.

2Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative: India to lead the creation of 1 million certified trainers across Africa, boosting youth skills, employability and entrepreneurship.

3Global Healthcare Response Team: Proposal for a G20 medical expert corps for rapid deployment during pandemics and global health emergencies.

4Open Satellite Data Partnership:Facilitating free and collaborative access to satellite data for agriculture, fisheries, climate monitoring, and disaster management.

5Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative

Promotion:

1Recycling and urban mining

2Innovation in battery reuse

3Sustainable, secure critical mineral supply chains

6Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus: India urged coordinated action against synthetic drug trafficking, financial flows, and terror networks.