South Africa - Johannesburg - 21 February 2025 - Department of International Relations and Cooperation Director-General Zane Dangor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola and Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo address the media on the sideline of the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Johannesburg on Friday.
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers meeting has resolved to act in one voice to tackle the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as preached by the United Nations charter.
Lamola stated that the meeting reached a consensus on the necessity to support all efforts aimed at achieving justice in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and other significant conflicts throughout Europe.
He noted that the meeting acknowledged the growing geopolitical divisions that have fostered distrust and hindered efforts to tackle pressing global challenges, including poverty, climate change, pandemics, and armed conflict.
“To this end, sustainable investments in conflict prevention and peacebuilding were underscored,” he said.
Lamola addressed the media on the sidelines of a meeting held in Johannesburg on Friday.
Minister Lamola emphasised the significance of increased international cooperation to tackle urgent issues such as poverty, armed conflict, and climate change.
During the meeting, he addressed a broad delegation of ministries and said these things.
Lamola also had bilateral talks with representatives from the United Nations, Brazil, Singapore, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain on the fringes of the event.
He described South Africa's goals for its G20 leadership and the nation's stance on important international problems during these discussions.
Strengthening disaster response and resilience, ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries, mobilising climate finance for a fair energy transition, and leveraging critical minerals to promote sustainable development are the four main areas of focus that South Africa, as the G20 host, has identified.
“We currently find ourselves at a pivotal moment in global trade. Geo-economic pressures whether from supply chain disruptions, trade restrictions, unilateral sanctions, or economic coercion are reshaping the international marketplace,” Lamola said.
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