As South Africa’s presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) bumps over the halfway mark and we look to its handover chapter, the temptation to celebrate symbolic progress is strong.
But if we are to take anything meaningful from this moment, we must do so with clear eyes. This has been a presidency defined as much by potential and positioning as it was by unfinished business.
And while there are lessons for global powers like the US, there are just as many for us at home.
Building consensus isn't the same as driving impact
SA’s efforts to promote a more inclusive multilateralism during its G20 tenure deserves acknowledgment. Our emphasis on elevating the voice of the Global South, especially within frameworks historically dominated by the Global North, was a timely intervention.
But consensus diplomacy, for all its virtue, must lead to concrete outcomes. Too often, inclusivity has become a goal in itself rather than a means to co-ordinated, measurable action.
For countries like the US, SA’s presidency offers a reminder that diplomatic soft power is still essential. However, it also illustrates the risk of over-indexing on representation while under-delivering on reform. Consensus is only valuable when it produces traction.
Africa’s economic case remains underdeveloped and underleveraged
SA sought to reposition Africa as a credible engine for global growth. But the reality is that we are still not telling a compelling, unified economic story, let alone delivering it.
Africa’s young population, expanding digital potential, and resource base are all well-known, but we have struggled to translate these into investable projects, policy alignment or sustained global investor interest.
The announcements at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium signal a potential boom, with government plans to spend R1 trillion on infrastructure if the private sector quadruples this to R4 trillion.
The missed opportunities aren’t just a concern to us here at home. They should concern anyone serious about diversifying the engines of global economic growth.
For the US, which is increasingly recalibrating its supply chains and geopolitical partnerships, Africa remains an underutilised partner. But that will not change until African leadership, SA’s included, can move beyond aspiration to co-ordinated delivery.
The work of National Treasury and the SA Reserve Bank to expand digital payments platforms across Africa could be our differentiator though. Under that programme, practical digital payments solutions are being piloted across rural Southern Africa to unlock trillions in low-cost, high-volume cross-border transactions.
If successfully rolled out, it would position South Africa as a meaningful and practical champion of the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area to make Africa the world’s largest free-trade area.
We fall short on capacity
Internally, our G20 presidency has exposed critical weaknesses in state capacity, strategic communications and implementation.
Quite plainly, our bureaucracy struggles to move at the speed required to seize fleeting opportunities. Even while global focus is momentarily on Africa, we have been slow to frame the right priorities and propose bold initiatives with executable plans.
The cynics would say “we have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”
In part, this reflects the broader challenges of a developmental state in transition. But it also highlights an uncomfortable truth: SA lacks the institutional agility to lead at the scale required by a forum like the G20. If we want to punch above our weight, we must first be fit to fight.
Our international partners noticed. Conversations that should have been driven by strategy were too often dragged into the weeds of local political uncertainty and ideology. The way South Africa regulates empowerment in the ICT sector is a case in point, as Starlink Services evaluates potential policy changes that might open up our market.
The Eskom Just Energy Transition Project, aimed at decommissioning coal-fired power plants and transitioning to renewable energy, is another example. It faced significant challenges due to internal disagreements and lack of clear communication.
The World Bank's fact sheet on the project details the complexities and setbacks encountered, highlighting the need for cohesive domestic strategies when engaging in international initiatives.
There has been goodwill, yes, but also frustration, and a growing sense that we are trying to lead without first putting our own house in order.
Real lessons for the future
Make no mistake, SA’s G20 presidency has not been without merit. It’s bringing Africa’s development priorities into global focus, even if only briefly. It has highlighted the importance of engaging beyond economic superpowers. It is reinforcing the urgency of reforming global governance structures. But above all, it is showing us in real time what happens when ambition outpaces execution.
For the US, there is value in reflecting on SA’s G20 moment, not because it was flawless, but because it was real. It has revealed the challenges of inclusive global governance, and the danger of mistaking symbolism for structural change.
For us here at home, the G20 presidency should be remembered not for what it said, but for what it failed to say loudly enough: that credibility on the global stage must be earned, not assumed. That institutional strength matters as much as diplomatic rhetoric. And that next time we are handed a global leadership platform, we must be ready to deliver more than presence. We must deliver performance.
Adam Craker is CEO of iqbusiness
