Putin says Russia, China back South Africa’s G20 presidency

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced support for South Africa’s presidency of the G20, saying both Moscow and Beijing back Pretoria’s efforts to advance the interests of the Global South.

In an interview given on Saturday, Putin was asked about how Russia and China coordinate to protect their security and development goals, unite the Global South, and push for a fairer world order through multilateral forums. He said that close collaboration between the two countries has influenced the agendas of major international platforms such as the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

“Within the G20, together with like-minded nations, and especially BRICS members, we have redirected the agenda towards issues of real importance to the global majority, strengthened the format by including the African Union, and deepened the synergies between the G20 and BRICS,” Putin stated.

South Africa took over the rotating G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, becoming the first African country to lead the group. It is set to host the annual summit this November in Johannesburg under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to use the role to highlight the priorities of Africa and the Global South, with a strong focus on tackling climate change and other development challenges. As part of this agenda, Pretoria has created a G20 task force to examine global wealth inequality and its effects on emerging economies.

However, the United States has criticized South Africa’s approach. President Donald Trump, along with senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has accused Pretoria of promoting an “anti-American” agenda and announced that Washington would boycott the upcoming summit.

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