Latest news with #G20ForeignMinistersMeeting
Egypt Today
22-02-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Deputy Foreign Minister Participates in G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting
CAIRO – 21 February 2025: Deputy Foreign Minister of Egypt Ambassador Abu Bakr Hefny Mahmoud participated in the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on behalf of Badr Abdelatty, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Emigration, and Egyptians Abroad. On the morning of February 21st, during the second and final day of the meeting, Ambassador Mahmoud delivered Egypt's speech at the plenary session, which focused on the G20 priorities for 2025. The Deputy Foreign Minister reaffirmed Egypt's support for the priorities outlined under South Africa's presidency of the G20, emphasizing that these priorities reflect the interests of developing countries, particularly Africa's development agenda for 2063. He expressed Egypt's commitment to cooperating on the implementation of these priorities, which aim to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development agenda. Key areas of focus include enhancing access to financing for developing countries, implementing debt swaps for climate change mitigation, leveraging modern technologies like artificial intelligence, and boosting water and food security. Ambassador Mahmoud also addressed the global challenges currently facing the world, notably the rise of unilateral and protectionist policies. He stressed the importance of international solidarity and cooperation to overcome these challenges. Additionally, the Deputy Foreign Minister highlighted the role the G20 can play in addressing imbalances in the global financial system, particularly by improving access to concessional financing. He underlined the need to avoid forcing developing countries into a position where they must choose between two critical goals: combating climate change and achieving sustainable development. He also pointed out the G20's potential role in ensuring that international financial institutions and multilateral development banks operate fairly and provide appropriate solutions to meet the needs of developing countries. Ambassador Mahmoud emphasized the importance of managing the debt burden in a way that ensures macroeconomic stability for low- and middle-income countries, helping them avoid a new global debt crisis. It is important to note that Egypt's participation in the G20 meetings this year is in response to an invitation from South Africa, the current president of the G20. Egypt will be participating as a guest country in various G20 events throughout the meetings until the conclusion of South Africa's presidency in November 2025.
Times of Oman
21-02-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
India's EAM S Jaishankar, Chinese counterpart Wang Yi meet on G20 sidelines, discuss Kailash Mansarovar, flight connectivity
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S jaishankar met with his Chinese counterpart FM Wang Yi on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing G20 meeting in South African capital city Johannesburg and reviewed developments in bilateral ties with a focus on direct flights and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Jaishanker took to his social media platform X to post about the meeting., "The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg provided an opportunity to meet CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China this morning on its sidelines." Separately addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said "The two ministers reviewed developments in the bilateral relationship since their last meeting in November, specifically the management of peace and tranquility in border areas." The management of peace and tranquility in border areas, the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, resumption of direct flight connectivity, and travel facilitation were discussed during the meeting. There was also an exchange of views on G20 and the Shangai Cooperation Organization, the MEA spokesperson said. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had visited Beijing on January 26-27 this year for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between India and China on January 27. A statement by MEA said that "As agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at their meeting in Kazan in October, the two sides reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and agreed to take certain people-centric steps to stabilize and rebuild ties". The two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. India organizes the KMY annually between June and September through the Lipulekh Pass (since 1981) in Uttarakhand and the Nathu La Pass (since 2015) in Sikkim. Before the flights were suspended due to the pandemic and the Galwan clash in 2020, the two countries had 539 direct flights per month, with a total seat capacity of over 1.25 lakh. Another significant announcement after the meeting of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Beijing in January this year was that the resumption of direct air services will take place between the two countries, with relevant technical authorities on the two sides meeting and negotiating an updated framework for this purpose at an early date, the MEA said. As 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China, the two sides noted that it should be utilized to redouble public diplomacy efforts to create better awareness about each other and restore mutual trust and confidence among the public. The two sides have also said they will conduct a number of commemorative activities to mark this anniversary. Friday's meeting between Jaishankar and Wang comes after the two met on G20 November 18, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.
Times of Oman
21-02-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
US Charge d'Affaires Dana Brown to represent US at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Johannesburg
Johannesburg: US Charge d'Affaires to South Africa Dana Brown is representing United States at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in South Africa's Johannesburg, according to US Embassy spokesperson. G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting is being held at Johannesburg on February 20-21. Earlier, on February 6, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he will not attend the G20 Summit stating that "South Africa is doing very bad things." In a post on X, Rubio stated, "I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote "solidarity, equality, & sustainability." In other words: DEI and climate change. My job is to advance America's national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism." South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency from December 1, 2024 through to November 2025. The theme for South Africa's G20 Presidency is Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability. The theme guides the priorities of the Working Groups in both Sherpa and Finance Tracks and informs the High-Level Deliverables of South Africa's G20 Presidency, according to the official statement. The G20 is an international forum of both developing and developed countries which seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues. The G20 members include the world's major economies, representing 85 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, over 75 per cent of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. The G20 comprises 19 countries including: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, United Kingdom, the US and two regional bodies, namely the European Union and the African Union. The G20 does not have a permanent secretariat or staff. Instead, the G20 Presidency rotates annually among the members. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced that he has frozen aid to South Africa over a controversial land expropriation law aimed at tackling inequality stemming from apartheid, Al Jazeera reported. In an executive order, Trump said the law showed a "shocking disregard" for citizens' rights and would allow the government to seize land from ethnic minority Afrikaners without passage of the Expropriation Act, signed last month by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, followed "countless" policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity, as well as "hateful rhetoric" and government actions that drew violence against "racially disfavored" landowners, Trump said in his order, as per Al Jazeera. South Africa has also taken "aggressive positions" towards the US and its allies, including accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and boosting relations with Iran, Trump said. "The United States cannot support the government of South Africa's commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining United States foreign policy, which poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests," Al Jazeera quoted the Trump's order as stating.
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
G20 meeting opens with call for 'cooperation'
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the opening of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg. PHOTO: AFP South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa opened on Thursday a Group of 20 foreign ministers meeting – overshadowed by the absence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio – with a call for "cooperation" amid geopolitical tensions and "rising intolerance". Top diplomats from the world's largest economies gathered in Johannesburg for the two-day talks held for the first time in Africa. "It is critical that the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law should remain at the centre of all our endeavours," Ramaphosa said. The G20, a group of 19 countries as well as the European Union and the African Union, is deeply divided on key issues from Russia's war in Ukraine to climate change. World leaders have also been split on how to respond to the dramatic policy shifts from Washington since the return of President Donald Trump. "As the G20 we must continue to advocate for diplomatic solutions to conflicts," Ramaphosa said. "I think it is important that we should remember that cooperation is our greatest strength," he added. "Let us seek to find common ground through constructive engagement."
Leaders
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Saudi Foreign Minister Meets South Africa's President in Johannesburg
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday received the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Prince Faisal bin Farhan conveyed to Ramaphosa the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. During their meeting, both the Saudi Foreign Minister and the South African President explored ways to boost bilateral ties. They also discussed expanding cooperation in a way that serves the interests of Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Moreover, both sides discussed key regional and international issues of common concern and efforts made to address them. The Saudi Foreign Minister arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, to represent Saudi Arabia at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. The meeting aims to discuss key international issues and explore ways to bolster multilateral cooperation. South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency from December 1, 2024 until November 2025. The country will host approximately 130 working group meetings and 23 meetings at ministerial level over the course of 2025. Under the theme 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,' the first G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting under South Africa's presidency is taking place from February 20-21, 2025. It holds plenary sessions to discuss the most pressing economic, political and environmental issues, including the current global geopolitical dynamics and the impact of climate change. Short link : Post Views: 51
