Excellencies, Esteemed Colleagues, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning, Good Evening I am pleased to join you at this important meeting of the Development Working Group of South Africa's Presidency of the G20. We are confident that we will utilise our Presidency of the G20 to contribute towards and foster global solidarity, equality and sustainable development – planet, people, prosperity, peace and partnership. The themes and priorities of South Africa's Presidency of the G20 are clearly aligned to the Pact of the Future which was adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future. Distinguished Delegates, We convene at a critical juncture where the world is facing many complex challenges including economic instability; armed conflicts; growing inequalities; climate change and public health crises; amongst others. These challenges have a negative impact on our collective resolve to promote sustainable development. They demand our collective and bold response, especially as we work towards achieving the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fostering a fair and just global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises. As you are aware, South Africa has identified three themes as our priorities for the G20 Development Working Group (DWG), namely: Financing for Development, Social Protection, and Global Public Goods. These themes are fundamental pillars for accelerating progress towards the attainment of the SDGs and are a natural progression from the priorities of the previous Presidencies of the G20. Ladies and Gentlemen, With regards to Financing for Development, we note that the landscape of development financing has shifted significantly due to the compounding crises of recent years exacerbating vulnerabilities and threatening hard-won development gains. Therefore, is it important to recalibrate our strategies to ensure that development financing becomes more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. The financing gap to achieve the SDGs continues to widen, particularly for developing countries, where debt burdens and limited fiscal space hamper efforts to invest in sustainable development. Furthermore, there is a need for a renewed commitment to mobilising both public and private resources while also leveraging innovative financing mechanisms. These include strengthening the means to address illicit financial flows, enhancing transparency, building capacity and ensuring that relevant systems are more accountable. On the issue of Social Protection, we believe that Social Protection acts as a crucial safety net for our most vulnerable citizens and lays the foundation for resilient societies. Accordingly, robust social protection systems can significantly alleviate poverty and inequality, shield against economic shocks, and ensure access to essential services like healthcare and education. As we delve into financing strategies today, it is vital to underscore the importance of investing in social protection as a cornerstone of sustainable development. We are convinced that in order to enhance social protection, we must prioritize expanding coverage while ensuring that our programs are inclusive, adaptable, and well-financed. The G20 can play a vital role in advocating for the adoption of universal social protection systems that leave no one behind, especially marginalized groups such as women, youth, and informal sector workers. Strengthening these systems also necessitates leveraging digital technologies to improve service delivery, ensuring timely and efficient support reaches those in need. Esteemed Colleagues, The priority of addressing the provision of global public goods such as climate action, public health, and digital connectivity, requires robust multilateral cooperation and shared responsibility. Working together, we can forge a path towards a brighter and more equitable future for all. As we confront the realities of climate change, pandemics, and other global challenges, ensuring that global public goods are adequately provided and financed is essential. The G20 can and should provide progressive leadership in mobilising resources for climate finance, pandemic preparedness, and technological innovation to support sustainable and inclusive development worldwide. Additionally, promoting policy coherence across national and international agendas to avoid fragmented efforts and maximise the impact of investments in global public goods could be an avenue worth considering. Ladies and Gentlemen, Let us seize this moment to reaffirm our commitment to financing sustainable development and building a world where everyone can thrive. Our discussions today and the next two days provide an opportunity to explore innovative solutions, forge stronger partnerships, and accelerate collective action. I believe that together, we can turn our aspirations into reality by transforming the global development landscape to one that prioritises resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability. As we deliberate, share knowledge and pool our resources, let us keep in mind the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs that unites us: “leaving no one behind". This is not just a slogan but it is our moral obligation to create a world where every person has the opportunity to thrive. Working Together, we can build a future characterized by resilience, equity, and mutual respect. Let us embrace our shared responsibility to address the pressing issues of our time—grounded in solidarity and a commitment to global cooperation. I Thank You.
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