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19 November 2025 Issue 342 - Pragmatic and Rational Multilateralism
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SA’s G20 Presidency drives inclusion, equity and sustainability
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Minister Ronald Lamola at a press briefing (photo: GCIS) |
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South Africa’s G20 Presidency has not only elevated African voices, but galvanised global momentum toward a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future. This is according to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who updated the media on Monday, on South Africa’s preparations ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, set to take place in Johannesburg, this weekend.
“We are not just participants in global affairs. We are determined to shape them. Our Presidency builds for the future; it does not preserve the ways of the past,” Lamola said.
Lamola described South Africa’s G20 Presidency - the first ever on African soil - as a decisive moment for the continent and the broader Global South.
“Our Presidency is a call to action as the last nation of the Global South to hold the Presidency in this cycle. A call to bridge the developmental divide between the Global North and the Global South, to champion equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity,” he said.
According to the Minister, 130 of the 133 official G20 meetings have already taken place, with the Sherpa Meeting, Social Summit, and Leaders’ Summit poised to conclude what he called a “transformative journey” for South Africa and its partners.
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Africa Calls for Fairer Global Finance at G20–Africa High-Level Dialogue
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Africa faces growing financing pressures as rising debt service costs severely constrain development. By end-2024, public debt had reached USD 1.815 trillion, while annual debt servicing climbed to USD 163 billion, leaving 57% of Africans living in countries where debt payments exceed health or education spending.
These escalating obligations not only erode fiscal space but are also directly reinforced by Africa’s persistently high cost of capital, a systemic penalty that inflates borrowing costs regardless of fundamentals. It is precisely in response to this dual challenge of unsustainable debt and prohibitively expensive financing that South Africa, under its G20 Presidency and in partnership with the AUC, UN DESA, and UNDP, convened the G20–Africa High-Level Dialogue on Debt Sustainability, Cost of Capital, and Financing Reforms at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
In his remarks Mr. Alvin Botes, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, highlighted the progress achieved under South Africa’s G20 Presidency and the importance of addressing the escalating cost of capital for developing economies. He underscored the establishment of the Africa Expert Panel, chaired by former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, tasked with developing practical recommendations to lower borrowing costs and enhance Africa’s collective influence in global financial governance. He welcomed the G20 Ministerial Declaration on Debt Sustainability, noting its alignment with the Lomé Declaration on Debt and the Common African Position on Debt.
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Vietnamese Cuisine Connects Cultures at Cooking Class Hosted by Embassy of Vietnam in South Africa
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A group of members of the International Diplomatic Spouses Association receive Vietnamese souvenirs from host Phuong Vu (left) after winning the Master Chef competition |
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The Embassy of Vietnam in South Africa, in collaboration with the International Diplomatic Spouses Association (IDSA), hosted a special Vietnamese Cooking Class on 7 November 2025 at the Residence of the Ambassador of Vietnam in Pretoria.
The event brought together members of the diplomatic community, spouses of ambassadors, and friends of Vietnam for a morning filled with culinary discovery, cultural exchange, and friendship.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Hoang Cuong of Vietnam expressed great pleasure in welcoming guests to the Residence, noting that Vietnamese cuisine is a harmonious blend of regional influences while preserving its own distinctive identity. He shared that this was the first time such an event had been held at the Residence since his arrival in South Africa and he was delighted to welcome members of IDSA and pleased to see so many familiar faces. The Ambassador emphasized that behind every Vietnamese dish lies a story of the country’s land, people, and way of life.
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 BOOK TICKETS
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'Cry Freedom’ - Reflections on Dignity and Hope in South Africa
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The movie ‘Cry Freedom’, released in 1988 and set in the late 70’s, was screened by the Australian High Commission in Pretoria leading up to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s ’s visit to South Africa for the much-anticipated G20 Summit.
The screening took place ahead of the unveiling of the names of three Australians at Freedom Park’s Wall of Names. Tegan Brink, Australia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, said that these three Australians played important roles in supporting international efforts to end Apartheid and their names on the Wall serves as a tribute to their dedication and contributions to South Africa’s journey toward freedom.
One of these people is Bruce Hague, the former 2nd Secretary of the Australian High Commission to South Africa in the late 70’s. Bruce Hague was portrayed in the film as a journalist as the film was released during Apartheid and while Bruce was working abroad for the Australian government. He became friends with Steve Biko and other anti-Apartheid activists and his role of helping the main character, newspaper editor Donald Woods, escape South Africa as a banned person, is portrayed in the film. The film was eye-opening to watch as a born-free South African.
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Kazakhstan–South Africa Business Seminar Reveals Expanding Horizons for Partnership
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DAmbassador Yerkin Akhinzhanov presenting Kazakhstan at a business round table titled Kazakhstan: Investment Opportunities and Prospects (photo: Embassy of Kazakhstan) |
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Kazakhstan’s emergence as a strategic hub for investment, innovation, and global connectivity took centre stage at a high-level business seminar in Pretoria, drawing together South African entrepreneurs, investors, and sector specialists. Hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in South Africa, in collaboration with Tayfin Royale Hotel and Conference Centre and the South Africa and Kazakhstan Trading and Cultural Association, the event highlighted the deepening economic synergies between the two nations.
Ambassador Yerkin Akhinzhanov delivered a keynote, blending history, economic insight, and an invitation to partnership. His message was clear: Kazakhstan is no longer simply a land in the heart of Eurasia, it is a rising frontier of opportunity, powered by stability, connectivity, and innovation.
Ambassador Akhinzhanov began with a philosophical reflection on Kazakhstan’s identity, “a young nation with an ancient soul” situated on the historic Silk Road where civilizations once converged.
“Kazakhstan was born bold,” he reflected, “a place where ideas, people, and cultures have always met.”
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Panama Week 2025, A Proactive Bridge Between Africa and the Americas
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As South Africa’s Presidency announces “green shoots” of recovery across the domestic economy driven by stabilising energy supply, renewed investor sentiment, and improved logistics performance an unexpected but strategic partner is stepping forward to deepen its footprint on the continent: the Republic of Panama.
In commemoration of 30 years of bilateral relations and 25 years since the opening of its first mission in Pretoria, the Embassy of Panama in South Africa will host Panama Week 2025, a dynamic programme from 1–5 December aimed at strengthening political, commercial, and cultural ties with South Africa and Africa at large.
At a time of shifting global economic currents, Panama’s proactive outreach underscores how mid-sized but strategically positioned nations are engaging the Global South with new intent—seeing Africa not as a periphery but as a rising centre of global growth.
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