South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday calls for strong cooperation at G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Cape Town, in spite of the absence of several key figures.
“At this time of global uncertainty and escalating tension, it is now more important than ever that the members of the G20 work together,” Ramaphosa said on X. South Africa took over the rotating G20 presidency in December.
Less cooperation between states threatens global growth and stability, Ramaphosa warned at the two-day meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the leading industrialised and emerging countries, known as the G20.
Several key G20 state finance ministers, including those from the United States, China, Japan, India and Canada, are absent from the meeting in Cape Town.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced his absence a few days before the meeting on X due to “obligations in Washington DC.”
The U.S. plays a leading role in G20 agreements on financial and monetary policy issues.
Earlier, the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had skipped the G20 meeting of his counterparts in Johannesburg, accusing the G20 format of anti-Americanism.
However, German Finance Minister Jörg Kukies told dpa that Bessent’s absence should not be over-interpreted and will not jeopardise the success of the first G20 finance ministers’ meeting under the South African presidency.
“It is not unusual for individual ministers to be absent.” Kukies will also leave a day earlier than planned due to a domestic political engagement.
South Africa intends to use its presidency to focus on debt relief for developing countries and a just energy transition.
Also,financing and insurance mechanisms for climate-related natural disasters will also be at the forefront of discussions.(dpa/NAN)
