Global challenges threaten development goals, G20 chair South Africa warns

G20 chair South Africa warned on Thursday that abandoning the rules-based global order and declining cooperation could derail 2030 development goals to end hunger, eradicate extreme poverty and fight climate change.

The blueprint, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, includes 17 targets on areas such as education, climate action and gender equality.

But progress has been uneven and is at risk as the world faces growing uncertainty and mounting threats to multilateralism.

South Africa is chairing the G20 group of nations until November 2025, a complex task that involves coordinating a broad membership that includes the United States, China, Russia, the European Union and the African Union.

'Uncertainty continues'

"While inflation is gradually moderating and financial conditions have started to stabilise in some regions, uncertainty continues to weigh heavily on global growth prospects," Pretoria's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told G20 finance chiefs and central bank governors.

"Rising trade barriers, persistent global imbalances and new geopolitical risks are significant concerns," he said.

These challenges, coupled with climate-related shocks, risk pushing the development targets "further out of reach", he added.

The group has scrambled to respond to drastic policy shifts by its richest member, the United States, which has upended global trade rules since Donald Trump's return.

US cuts foreign aid

Washington – next in line for the G20 presidency – has imposed tariffs on countries it labels "anti-American" and announced foreign aid cuts.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is not attending the two-day meeting in the port city of Durban, with Washington instead represented by an undersecretary for international affairs.

Bessent also skipped a similar meeting in February and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a meeting for G20 foreign ministers.

"We have a critical role to play in revitalising and strengthening multilateralism by fostering inclusive dialogue, reinforcing rules-based cooperation, and driving collective action on global challenges that no country can solve alone," said Godongwana.

More than 80% of global economic output

The G20 is made up of 19 nations and two regional organisations and accounts for more than 80% of the world's economic output.