NEW DELHI: The G20 bloc in South Africa adopted a landmark declaration, unanimously agreed upon despite opposition and boycott by the United States.
In a break from tradition, the world leaders adopted the joint declaration at the start of the summit as opposed to concluding day of discussions. The US boycotted the event due to a diplomatic rift with the host country.
The 2025 G20 Leaders’ Declaration in Johannesburg under South Africa's presidency centres on climate ambition, debt relief and development justice, with a strong political message on multilateralism, terrorism and global conflicts. The document “unequivocally” condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, aligning with India’s long‑standing demand that there are no “good” and “bad” terrorists.
Leaders reiterated support for an open, fair, inclusive and rules‑based multilateral trading system and call for reform of the WTO to make it more responsive to development concerns. It frames everything under South Africa’s theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, with an explicitly pro–Global South tilt
According to Reuters, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the US objected to the wording of the declaration. However, he emphasised that it could not be “renegotiated.” His remarks underscored growing tensions between Pretoria and Washington.
In opening remarks to the summit, Ramaphosa acknowledged the "overwhelming consensus and agreement for the declaration. He said, "There's been overwhelming consensus and agreement that one of the other tasks we should undertake right at the beginning is to adopt our declaration."
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, noted that the declaration was adopted unusually early in the proceedings, a move driven by the strong support it received. "Normally, the adoption of the declaration happens right at the end. But there was a sense that we should actually move to have the summit declaration adopted first as the first order of the day,” Magwenya said, according to AP.
The South African officials also confirmed that Trump had put pressure on them not to adopt a leaders' declaration in his absence. "We had the entire year of working towards this adoption, and the past week has been quite intense," the spokesperson said.
G20 Leaders’ Declaration: 'We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations'The declaration statement highlights growing global instability driven by geopolitical rivalries, economic fragmentation, and widening inequalities. It stresses the importance of multilateral cooperation as essential to addressing shared global challenges.
The declaration also reaffirms commitment to the UN Charter’s principles, calling on all states to avoid the use or threat of force against the sovereignty or territorial integrity of others. It urges nations to promote friendly relations, uphold human rights, and ensure equality irrespective of race, gender, language, or religion.
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G20 Summit: PM Modi proposes 4 big initiatives; focus on healthcare, knowledge and war on drugsIt also commits to working for a just and lasting peace in conflict zones such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Ukraine, emphasising that global peace is fundamental to achieving sustainable development and prosperity.
PM Modi at G20 SummitPrime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to South Africa to attend the G20 summit. He spoke at the summit about inclusive and sustainable growth. In a post on X, he highlighted the need to revisit the development parameters.
"Spoke at the first session of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, which focused on inclusive and sustainable growth," the Prime Minister wrote, "Now is the right moment for us to revisit our development parameters and focus on growth that is inclusive and sustainable. India’s civilisational values, especially the principle of Integral Humanism, offer a way forward."
He has also held talks with the world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
US President Donald Trump is boycotting the event as the agenda for the meeting that focuses on climate action and energy transition does not align with the US policy.
The inclusion of the term “climate change” was widely seen as a subtle rebuke to President Trump, who has repeatedly questioned the scientific consensus that human activity is the primary driver of global warming. For many observers, the language in the declaration underscored a deliberate effort by participating nations to reaffirm their commitment to climate science despite past US scepticism.