The Think 20 (T20) Africa High-Level Dialogue took place in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, think tank representatives, academics, and international partners to advance African perspectives within the Group of Twenty (G20) and other international policy bodies.
The T20 seeks to ensure that Africa's voice is not only heard, but integrated into the G20's working agenda, serving as a vital platform for shaping the African continent's influence in global governance.
Key themes included leveraging the continent's young population, promoting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and addressing systemic challenges such as unemployment.
On the sidelines of the two-day conference, Alvin Botes, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, stressed the importance of unlocking Africa's full potential for boosting global development, including the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"The G20 Presidency of South Africa comes amidst the realization that only 17 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals has been achieved, and it should be worrisome given the fact that we have only five years left towards the attainment of the SDGs in 2030. So we should be concerned about that issue. So indeed, any trade package that obviously does not seek to harness the African potential will obviously have a negative consequence on our own economic fortunes. I think South Africa has always subscribed to the fact that you need both your developing South and your more industrialized North for us to, you know, ensure the economic dividends of South Africa and the African continent are able to be harnessed." he said.
The dialogue was organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs, the Institute for Global Dialogue, the University of Johannesburg's Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, and the African Union Development Agency.
South Africa assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, which will run through November 2025. The T20 is an official G20 engagement group that brings together think tanks and research institutions from G20 members, guest countries, and organizations.
T20 Africa High-level Dialogue takes place in Pretoria
