EXPLAINER: What is the G20 Summit and why should you care?

South Africa is hosting world leaders in this weekend- for the 2025 G20 Summit - the first time the gathering takes place on African soil.

Here is why this meeting is important:

The two-day meeting set for the 22nd to the 23rd of this month is expected to focus on some of the world’s most urgent economic and social challenges - with a strong emphasis on the priorities of the global south.

The G20 is made up of 19 countries including the European Union and together they represent around 85-percent of the worlds GDP and two-thirds of its population.

The members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (EU)

The leaders’ summit will be held in Johannesburg with South Africa serving as the G20 president for 2025.

The country has framed this year’s agenda around three central themes including solidarity, equality and sustainability.

These themes shape the conversations taking place in the run-up to the summit, as well as the expected commitments that leaders will sign off.

To date - there have been 13 official G20 engagement groups that have served as vital channels for diverse sectors to contribute to the G20's policy and decision-making processes.

The 13 official G20- engagement groups include W20 (Women), L20 (Labour), B20 (Business), T20(Think Tanks), C20 (Civil Society), SA120 (Supreme Audit Institutions), Y20 (Youth), U20 (Urban), S20 (Science), Startup 20, J20 (Judiciary/ Supreme Courts), O20 (Ocean), P20 (Parliament) and G20 Empower Alliance.

The primary activity of these groups has been to engage in extensive consultations and host meetings throughout the year to draft recommendations on various global issues.

These recommendations are then funelled to the G20 leaders' summit through the sherpa track process, influencing the overall G20 agenda and outcomes.

But why should the ordinary citizen care about this year’s summit?

The 2025 G20 summit is significant not just because it is being hosted in Africa for the first time - but because it comes at a time when developing nations are demanding a stronger voice in global decision making.

For South Africa, this is an opportunity to highlight issues like poverty, climate justice and financial reform that disproportionately affect the Global South.

It is also a moment for the country to shape global economic discourse by promoting cooperation, multilateralism and fairness.

For ordinary citizens the decisions taken at the G20 have real-world effects - from the price of food and fuel to the pace of economic recovery and the resources available for climate adaptation.