President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday praised South Africans for their unity and hospitality after Pretoria successfully hosted the G20 Leaders’ Summit — the first time the gathering was held on African soil — and more than 130 related meetings.
In a nationally broadcast address, Ramaphosa expressed gratitude to citizens whose cooperation, he said, helped South Africa present a “People’s G20” to visiting heads of state and delegations. He said global leaders had commended the country’s warm welcome and the spirit of ubuntu shown during the summit, and he urged that the civic and infrastructural improvements made in host cities be sustained beyond the event.
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“What we achieved together in hosting the G20 demonstrates the power of collective action,” Ramaphosa said, according to remarks released by his office. He described the summit as an opportunity for South Africa to shape the global agenda and to spotlight African priorities on trade, finance, health and development.
The president’s remarks came after a week of high-level diplomacy in which South Africa assumed the ceremonial mantle of G20 host, coordinating meetings that drew government officials, central bankers and business leaders from across the globe. Officials said the sequence of more than 130 meetings was part of an expanded calendar of engagement intended to broaden participation and highlight issues of importance to emerging economies.
Ramaphosa also addressed a diplomatic spat with the United States, dismissing a reported threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to exclude Pretoria from next year’s G20 summit. Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s standing in the group, noting the country’s role as one of the G20’s founding members and reaffirming its right to host and participate in the forum.
Government sources said the summit was intended to be a visible demonstration of South Africa’s capacity to convene and to advance priorities on behalf of Africa within the G20 framework. In his address, the president called on national and local authorities to ensure that public investments and upgrades made for the summit deliver lasting benefit to communities.
Analysts say hosting the G20 can heighten international scrutiny as well as diplomatic friction; Ramaphosa’s emphasis on unity and continued civic engagement appears aimed at consolidating domestic political support while defusing external tensions. He framed the summit’s success as a demonstration that South Africa could both welcome global leaders and press for change in areas affecting developing countries.
The president’s address closed with an appeal to maintain the momentum from the summit, preserving the neighborhood improvements and public projects many residents saw as part of the country’s effort to showcase itself during the international meetings.
By News-room Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
