External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar will visit South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from February 20-21, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.
The EAM’s visit to Johannesburg comes at the invitation of South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola. His participation in this crucial meeting will enhance India’s engagement with G20 countries and amplify the voice of the Global South within the forum, the MEA stated.
On the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, EAM Jaishankar is also expected to hold several bilateral discussions.
It is important to note that South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1, 2024, and will hold it until November 2025.
The G20 consists of 19 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside the European Union and the African Union. These members represent the world’s largest economies, accounting for 85% of global GDP, over 75% of international trade, and around two-thirds of the global population.
The G20 Presidency rotates annually among the members, chosen from different regional groupings. The 19 member countries are divided into five regional groups, each containing up to four countries.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced earlier that he would not attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg. He expressed concerns over South Africa’s policies, including the expropriation of private property, and criticized the country for using the G20 platform to promote issues like “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” and climate change, which he said detracted from the focus on global economic matters.
