Your Excellencies, Invited Guests,
Distinguished Colleagues,

I am honoured to join you today to reflect on how we can collectively foster partnerships that promote inclusive and sustainable economic prosperity. South Africa deeply values this dialogue, which comes at a time when the world faces converging crises – from economic fragility, inequality, climate change, to geopolitical uncertainty.

For South Africa, the central question is not only how to achieve growth, but also how to ensure that growth translates into shared prosperity – for our citizens and the African continent as a whole.
Excellencies,

The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' Agenda 2030 provide a shared development blueprint. Yet, progress remains uneven. Many developing economies, including ours, face structural constraints, such as energy insecurity, debt vulnerabilities, and limited access to long-term finance for sustainable infrastructure.

South Africa’s National Development Plan and the possible next-generation plan position our economy towards green industrialisation, digital transformation, and regional integration. Our experience has shown that partnerships – both domestic and global – are indispensable to achieving these aims.

We have advanced the importance of partnerships in South Africa’s G20 Presidency, under the overarching theme of “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”.

Through the landmark Ministerial Calls to Action, the Development Working Group (DWG) during South Africa’s G20 Presidency has emphasised the importance of partnerships in efforts to achieve inclusive, resilient and sustainable development through Universal Social Protection Systems with the focus on Social Protection Floors; and advancing Voluntary and Non-Binding High-Level Principles for Combatting Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs).
Excellencies,

As a resource-rich country, South Africa’s priority is to move from an extractive model towards one that promotes value addition, beneficiation, and inclusive local development. Responsible mining entails creating local value, practising environmental stewardship, and fostering community participation.

Through initiatives such as the African Mining Vision, we are deepening regional cooperation to ensure that mineral wealth drives sustainable and broad-based industrialisation and social equity.

We welcome collaboration with G7 partners on technology transfer, transparency, and skills development in the mining sector, particularly in the context of critical minerals vital for the green transition.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Infrastructure is the backbone of prosperity. South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan seeks to mobilise both public and private capital to modernise our energy system, while protecting workers and communities.

Similarly, our investments in transport and digital connectivity aim to unlock regional value chains and enhance Africa’s participation in global trade. Yet, financing gaps persist. This is why we view partnerships such as the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment as crucial to ensuring affordable, climate-resilient, and inclusive infrastructure.

To truly foster prosperity, we must move beyond traditional donor–recipient models towards mutual partnerships based on co-creation, co-investment, and mutual accountability.

This means reforming the global financial architecture so that developing economies can access affordable finance, strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, and participate equitably in global value chains.

South Africa continues to champion these reforms in multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the G20, guided by the conviction that development must be both inclusive and just.
Excellencies,

This moment calls for renewed leadership and solidarity. Let us seize this moment to reimagine our partnerships – not as transactions, but as shared commitments to human progress. The prosperity we seek must be sustainable, inclusive, and transformative.

South Africa stands ready to work with G7 partners and the broader international community to build a global economy that leaves no one behind.

I thank you.

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