The G20 Johannesburg Summit will be the twentieth meeting of the Group of Twenty, a meeting of heads of state and government held from 22 to 23 November 2025. It will be the first G20 summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa and on the African continent.
The theme for South Africa’s G20 Presidency is Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability. The theme guides the priorities of the Working Groups in both the Sherpa and Finance Tracks and also informs the High-Level Deliverables of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
Solidarity signifies a unified effort and mutual support among member nations. It is the recognition that in an interconnected world, the challenges faced by one nation can have ripple effects globally. This principle emphasizes cooperation, empathy, and collective action, ensuring that no country is left behind, especially in times of crisis.
Equality refers to ensuring fair treatment, opportunities, and advancement for all individuals and nations, irrespective of their economic status, gender, race, geographic location, or other characteristics. It underscores the need to address systemic disparities and promote social justice on a global scale.
Sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It integrates economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection, ensuring long-term health and stability of all people and our planet. As major global actors, G20 nations play a pivotal role in driving sustainable development.
The Summit will include a Sherpa track and a Finance track.
Sherpa Track:
The Sherpa Track is led by the personal representatives of G20 leaders and oversee negotiations and discuss the points that form the summit’s agenda and coordinate most of the work. The Sherpas are an ethnic group from the mountainous region of Nepal, which in Tibetan means “people from the East”. It is they who guide the climbers who aim to reach the top of Mount Everest. Without their skills, it would be almost impossible to reach the summit. In the G20, the Sherpas are the leaders of each country who take the discussions and agreements to the final summit with Heads of State and Government. It is made up of 15 working groups including agriculture, anti-corruption, culture, development, digital economy, disaster risk reduction, education, employment, empowerment of women, energy transitions, environment and climate sustainability, health, research and innovation, tourism, and trade and investment.
Finance Track:
The Finance Track deals with strategic macroeconomic issues and is led by member countries’ finance ministers and central bank heads. There are seven technical groups including financial inclusion, financial sector issues, framework working group, infrastructure working group, international financial architecture, international taxation, and sustainable finance.
Learn more about the upcoming G20 South Africa Summit 2025 Sherpa and Financial Tracks.
