Joburg Mayor Morero says it's all systems go for upcoming U20 Summit

JOHANNESBURG - Joburg Mayor Dada Morero said it's all systems go for the upcoming U20 Summit, where city leaders will gather under the G20 banner to reach consensus on common challenges.

Morero was speaking at a media briefing in Sandton on Tuesday ahead of the U20 Mayors’ Summit.

Joburg and Tshwane will co-host mayors from the G20 member states at the end of the week as part of South Africa’s presidency.

They’re expected to talk shop on a range of issues, including infrastructure, digital transformation and innovation, climate action and social inclusion.

Despite criticism about the city’s readiness to host the headline G20 events, Morero said Johannesburg’s importance in global conversations could not be understated.

"When mayors and city leaders arrive to meet here, we are not only exchanging ideas, we are creating networks of action. Johannesburg becomes the testing ground, the platform where global commitments can be piloted, adopted and implemented in real urban settings."

He said urban challenges could not be addressed in isolation, labelling the upcoming gathering as critical.

"They demand collaboration across borders, access to shared knowledge and the courage to scale solutions."