South Africa to host 1st G20 Trade & Investment Working Group meeting from March 18-20

In News

South Africa will host the first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) meeting under its presidency from March 18–20, 2025. The meeting will be held virtually with participation from G20 members, EU, African Union, WTO, UNCTAD, OECD, and African regional communities.

About the Event

• This is the first of four proposed TIWG meetings in 2025.
• Deliberations will culminate in the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting hosted by South Africa in October 2025.
• Theme of South Africa’s Presidency: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.
• South Africa assumed G20 presidency in December 2024, marking the first African Union G20 member presidency.

Significance

1. Africa’s Voice in Global Trade–
   • Hosting reflects Africa’s increasing role in shaping global trade and investment rules.
   • Aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) vision.
2. Global Trade & Multilateralism–
   • Participation of WTO, UNCTAD, and OECD strengthens multilateral frameworks.
   • Important for addressing protectionism, supply chain resilience, digital trade, and investment flows.
3. Implications for India–
   • India, being part of G20 Troika (Indonesia–India–Brazil–South Africa sequence), can influence agenda-setting.
   • Opportunity to deepen South-South cooperation and align with African trade priorities.

Challenges

• Global economic slowdown impacting trade flows.
• Rise of protectionist measures and tariff barriers.
• Need to balance developed vs developing country interests in G20 trade commitments.
• Ensuring tangible outcomes beyond discussions.

Way Forward

• Strengthening cooperation on digital economy, resilient supply chains, green investments.
• Leveraging South Africa’s presidency to mainstream Global South concerns in global trade.
• India and other emerging economies should push for inclusive trade policies balancing growth and sustainability.
  
  Updated -  March 13, 2025 1:08 PM | News On Air