International Relations and Cooperation Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said on Friday that the G20 Presidency was a “huge” vote of confidence in the country’s approach to foreign policy, as he urged government to “go out of its way” to make South Africa’s G20 Presidency meaningful to South Africans.

On Tuesday, South Africa become the first African country to hold the G20 Presidency, after it took over from Brazil.

The term will run from December 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025.

The committee welcomed South Africa being trusted with the responsibility of leading the G20 countries.

“Our Presidency of the G20 block should not be ceremonial and an honour but be influential in our diplomatic work. The G20 is a significant block of economies that, if well-manipulated, could yield serious results for the country in both foreign direct investment as well as diplomatic relations,” said Mahumapelo.

He urged government to “adequately exploit this opportunity”, which he said rarely happened.

He said South Africans died in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, and had now taken “its rightful place” among the countries of the world.

“When we get the recognition and being tasked with such responsibilities as hosting serious multilateral summits and as leading peace initiatives in the world, it is a good sign that the country is going in the right direction,” he stated.

Leading South Africa's participation at the Group of Twenty Leaders’ Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa will focus on advancing inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, noting that the country had adopted "solidarity, equality and sustainability" as the theme of its tenure.

He said South Africa would seek to strengthen and advance the common pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Pact for the Future.

Mahumapelo said the committee would demand regular updates on the activities for the 2025 summit, and how those preparations translated into real benefit for South Africa.