External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar will travel to South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for February 20-21 in Johannesburg, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.
Jaishankar will attend the meeting at the invitation of South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola. His visit is expected to strengthen India’s engagement with G20 nations and amplify the voice of the Global South on key international issues, the MEA stated.
On the sidelines of the summit, Jaishankar is also set to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other participating countries.
South Africa assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, and will hold the position until November 2025. The G20, comprising 19 leading economies along with the European Union and African Union, represents 85% of global GDP, over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population. The presidency rotates annually among members.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that he will not be attending the meeting in Johannesburg, citing concerns over South Africa’s domestic policies, including the expropriation of private property. He also criticized the country’s use of the G20 platform to advance agendas related to “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” and climate change.
(Inputs from ANI)
