B20 Sherpa Update June 2025
June 2025
Dear B20 South Africa friends and stakeholders
At the midpoint of 2025, I am pleased to share significant progress in our collective mission to shape actionable, inclusive and impactful policy recommendations for the G20. This month has been marked by robust engagement, critical milestones and a reaffirmation of Africa's role in driving global economic dialogue.
Momentum and refinement of task force recommendations
Our eight task forces have delivered the first iteration of their deliberations, reflecting months of rigorous research, collaboration and stakeholder input. These drafts are now being refined to ensure they are both ambitious and pragmatic, addressing systemic challenges while unlocking opportunities for sustainable growth. Key themes emerging include:
We are very energised about meeting these milestones as this is not just a South African milestone, it is Africa's moment to sit at the head of the table where global economic policy is shaped. There will be two more iterations of the documents and themes, after which we will develop recommendations, in August, for handover to the G20 Presidency in the first week of September 2025.
Exploring B20 South Africa Legacy Initiatives
| The process of exploring the legacy initiatives has now begun, ensuring that B20 South Africa's contributions endure well beyond its presidency. These legacy initiatives are tools, networks, platforms or other structures that will help amplify the impact of B20 recommendations. They are vital to the B20's mission of driving meaningful, lasting impact by ensuring continuity across B20 presidencies, scaling recommendation-enabling efforts and leaving a legacy for the host nation. |
ONBOARDING KEY NETWORK PARTNERS TO AMPLIFY GLOBAL ADVOCACY
As part of our mission to drive impactful policy recommendations, we are proud to welcome a distinguished group of Network Partners - leading international and South African organisations that will play a pivotal role in advancing the dissemination and advocacy of our task force outputs. These partners bring global and South African reach, expertise and strategic influence to ensure B20 South Africa's priorities resonate across key economic and policy platforms.
Our newly onboarded Network Partners include:
Africa Hidden Champions (AHC)
• Basel Institute of Governance
• Henley Business School Africa
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• National Business Initiative (NBI)
• United Nations Global Compact Network South Africa
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
• Virginia Tech College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
This collaboration underscores B20 South Africa's commitment to fostering multi-stakeholder engagement and amplifying the voice of the private sector on critical global issues. We look forward to leveraging these partnerships to strengthen the implementation and visibility of our policy recommendations worldwide.
ENGAGING GLOBAL STAKEHOLDERS
1. Virtual Press Roundtable
We also hosted the first of a series of Virtual Press Roundtables.
This month I was joined by Mxolisi Mgojo (B20 Co-Chair), task force chairs, Busi Mabuza (Trade and Investment), Ruwayda Redfearn (Integrity and Compliance) and Sim Tshabalala (Finance and Infrastructure). The discussion centered on Africa's unique value: from critical minerals and renewable energy to the world's youngest workforce, our continent is central to solving global challenges.
2.World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of New Champions
Nkululeko Nyembezi, our B20 South Africa Co-Chair, participated in the World Economic Forum (WEF) China Annual Meeting, where she spoke to global media on Africa's shift from raw mineral exports to building local value chains in battery and renewable energy technologies. She also highlight the critical role of blended finance and public-private partnerships (PPPs) in bridging the continent's infrastructure gap, while urging global investors to recalibrate risk perceptions and capitalise on high-return opportunities in Africa's growing markets.
3.Building Bridges with Strategic Engagements
Beyond media, we deepened connections with key stakeholders:
- I represented B20 South Africa at the NextGen Africa Conference, highlighting how SMEs
and entrepreneurs can leverage the G20 for growth. - Dialogues with bank treasurers, CFOs and the Y20 to engage youth perspectives and
financial sector insights into our recommendations. - We gave an input at a meeting of all G20 Sherpas and engagement groups, held at Sun
City, on the B20, including our theme, structure and progress.
WHY THESE ENGAGEMENTS MATTER
Our mandate is clear: shift the narrative from Africa's potential to progress. This requires:
Inclusive growth: Tackling poverty (400M+ in sub-Saharan Africa) through trade and job creation.
Global collaboration: Positioning Africa as a bridge in a fragmented world, balancing
East-West tensions while securing supply chains.
Sustainability and innovation: Harnessing renewable energy and digital tools to
empower SMEs and informal economies.
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
30 June – 3 July
4th International Conference Financing for Development (FfD4)
6th – 7th July
BRICS Business Forum
30th July
International Organisation of Employers (IOE) Ministerial Dinner
17th and 18th July
B20 Task Force engagements, led by the Finance & Infrastructure
and Digital Transformation task forces respectively
Together, we are building a legacy of inclusive prosperity
With gratitude
Cas