Poorer countries used the 2025 G20 Summit in South Africa as a crucial forum to call for immediate action on climate change, to address skyrocketing debt loads, and to promote more equitable global financial systems. In a year marked by extreme weather, volatile markets and widening inequalities, developing countries urge G20 to act on climate and soaring debt not only as a plea but as a strategic push for systemic reform. The summit’s inclusive agenda, which elevated the views of countries including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Jamaica, and Malaysia, attracted attention despite the United States’ boycott of the Johannesburg event. Leaders stressed that their nations are developing partners with potential in mining, technology, artificial intelligence, and green value chains, rather than just places of vulnerability.

Calls for Climate Action and Debt Relief

Developing countries utilised the summit to draw attention to years of stagnant progress on climate promises and the crippling impact of debt on national development. Their message was clear: climate and debt justice are inseparable, and developing countries urge G20 to act on climate and soaring debt with the urgency the moment demands.

Key points:

• Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister of Ethiopia, emphasised that inclusion must be viewed as efficiency rather than charity and insisted that debt relief result in tangible investments for the populace.
• Andrew Michael Holness, the prime minister of Jamaica, cited Hurricane Melissa’s destruction as evidence that a single climate catastrophe may undo years of economic advancement.
• Despite Namibia’s timely repayment of a USD 750 million bond, Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called attention to biased assessments by international financial institutions.
• Leaders stressed that the G20 must provide climate funding that is predictable, accessible, and equitable because climate change exacerbates economic fragility.

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Economic Partnerships and a Push for Fair Global Systems

Developing nations positioned themselves as active economic actors seeking to transform international commerce, industrialisation, and value creation, while also making urgent pleas. Their larger desire to engage in the global economy on fair terms was also reflected in the formulation of developing countries’ urge for the G20 to act on climate and soaring debt.

Key points:

• WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala advised African policymakers to switch from exporting raw materials to developing regional value chains that may boost employment and industrial development.
• Several countries identified chances for mutually beneficial relationships in mining, artificial intelligence, green minerals, and technology.
• As the summit’s host, South Africa received widespread praise for introducing inequality as a key component of the G20 agenda for the first time.
• Nabil Ahmed of Oxfam commended South Africa for elevating the concerns of African and Global South countries, indicating a shift toward a more inclusive and democratic global governance.

Also Read: Despite UN’s Dire Warning, COP30’s Fragile Deal Keeps Climate Fight Alive