G20, explained.
If the African Union allows itself to be seen merely as South Africa’s proxy, the continent’s priorities risk being sidelined (Getty Images)
Under this year’s South African presidency of the global forum, it’s more important than ever for the Union to speak as one.
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Show or substance? The African Union’s G20 testShow or substance? The African Union’s G20 test
This year’s G20 carries historic weight for Africa. For the first time, the summit will be hosted on African soil, coming barely a year after the African Union secured permanent membership in the forum. Together, these milestones underscore a growing recognition that Africa must be at the table when the world debates its economic future.
However, symbolism will not be enough. November’s summit takes place against a volatile backdrop, with South Africa’s strained relations with the United States – over trade, land reform and foreign policy – threatening to cast a shadow over Africa’s agenda. If the African Union allows itself to be seen merely as South Africa’s proxy, the continent’s priorities risk being sidelined. To deliver on debt relief, climate finance and inclusive growth, the African Union must stand firmly on its own terms and prove it speaks for Africa as a whole.
Unlike the European Union, which has been a G20 member since its inception in 1999, the African Union lacks supranational authority.
This is where the African Union’s structural limits matter. Unlike the European Union, which has been a G20 member since its inception in 1999, the African Union lacks supranational authority. The European Union can bind its members to common positions on trade, regulation and finance; the African Union cannot. Without that power, the African Union’s ability to project a united front risks being influenced by external pressures or dominated by its largest states.
The African Union has already articulated six focus areas for its G20 engagement: reform of international financial institutions, food security, just energy transitions, the African Continental Free Trade Area, improving Africa’s credit rating, and pandemic preparedness. While these priorities flow naturally from the African Union’s overarching Agenda 2063 and align closely with South Africa’s G20 theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability, they remain ambitious goals on which it will be difficult to secure tangible progress.
November’s summit takes place against a volatile backdrop, with South Africa’s strained relations with the United States threatening to cast a shadow over Africa’s agenda (Kyodo News via Getty Images)
Debt relief will likely be a key litmus test for the African Union. By historical standards, Africa’s debt stock is moderate, averaging 26 per cent of gross national income in 2023, well below the levels seen before the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative two decades ago. The real crisis lies in the cost: African governments pay close to 10 per cent to borrow on bond markets, compared with less than 1 per cent in Germany. By 2023, debt service was consuming almost 15 per cent of export earnings, with many African countries spending more on interest than on education or health.
These pressures are intensified by external shocks such as rising interest rates, capital outflows, weaker currencies, and mounting climate costs. The G20 cannot impose restructuring, but it is the only forum that brings all major creditors to the same table. In a tense geopolitical climate, this space is fragile but vital. For the African Union, it underlines why arriving with a united voice and clear agenda is more important than ever.
For Africa, the challenge is not only what is on the agenda but how it is pursued.
The second test will be investment. Debt relief can create breathing room, but it will not by itself deliver growth or structural change. Africa needs a surge of capital to build infrastructure, expand industry, and power the energy transition. The G20’s Compact with Africa, launched in 2017 to improve investment conditions, has delivered some results. However, investors still hold back, wary of high borrowing costs, currency swings and governance risks.
At the same time, the fundamentals are compelling: Africa holds 60 per cent of global solar resources and a major share of the minerals needed for the green economy. Mobilising that potential will depend not only on policy but on presence. The African Union’s seat at the G20 is a chance to forge relationships that give international investors, the African diaspora and domestic firms the confidence to commit long-term capital. This is as much about Africa stepping into the space it belongs as it is about policy change.
For Africa, the challenge is not only what is on the agenda but how it is pursued. The reality is that real change can only come if there’s buy-in from all sides of the geopolitical divide. To prove its relevance on the G20, the African Union must set clear and relevant priorities, starting with debt relief and investment, and avoid diluting its voice across too many fronts. Above all, the African Union must show it speaks for the entire continent. Unity, clarity, and focus will decide whether Africa’s G20 membership delivers real gains or fades into symbolism.
About the authors
Isel van Zyl
Isel van Zyl is a researcher and project manager specialising in violent extremism, conflict, and human security.
Jana de Kluiver
Jana de Kluiver is a political economist and strategy advisor specialising in Africa’s place in the global economy.
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