In this opinion article, Bishop Thulani Mbuyisa, the chairperson of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, argues that South Africa’s G20 presidency should not be remembered for polite communiqués and photo opportunities, but as the moment when Africa took the lead in shaping the global response to debt, hunger, poverty and the climate crisis.

This year, as South Africa assumes the presidency of the G20 for the first time, the nation carries not only a geopolitical responsibility—but a profound moral opportunity. The G20, a grouping that represents 85% of the global GDP, must not remain a platform for the wealthy and powerful to reinforce the status quo. It must become a vehicle for transformation, for solidarity, and for hope. For Africa, this is not merely a policy agenda—it is a call to conscience.

Our continent stands at a crossroads. On one hand, Africa is home to the youngest population on Earth, to vibrant movements of renewal, and to communities rich in resilience and faith. On the other hand, we remain burdened by unjust financial systems, debilitating debt, ecological degradation, and global neglect. This tension defines the African condition in our time: abundance in potential, yet constricted by external rules and internal inequities.

This is why we are gathering in Cape Town this month, together with fellow faith leaders, civil society actors, academic institutions, and policy-makers, under the banner of the G20 Symposium on Global Justice and Solidarity. Our shared goal is to bring Africa’s voice—and Africa’s soul—into the heart of the G20 agenda. This effort is coordinated under the umbrella of the Solidarity for One Humanity, One Future network.

As Pope Francis consistently reminded us, true global leadership begins not with dominance, but with dialogue. In Fratelli Tutti, he urged us to build “a better kind of politics,” one rooted in “social love” and “a sense of belonging to one another.” This is not naïve idealism. It is the only path to a sustainable, peaceful, and humane future.

The Moral Cost of Debt

Africa’s sovereign debt crisis is not just an economic problem—it is a moral scandal. Today, many African governments spend more servicing debt than on health or education. This is not because African nations are reckless, but because the global financial system is rigged against them. Private creditors charge African nations exorbitant interest rates. Multilateral institutions impose rigid conditions. Meanwhile, the climate crisis—caused largely by the emissions of the Global North—forces African countries to borrow even more just to recover from floods, droughts, and cyclones.

Before his death, Pope Francis also spoke forcefully about this injustice. “The debt should not be paid at the price of unbearable sacrifices,” he said in a message to heavily indebted nations. “There is a need for mechanisms to reduce the debt, which do not compromise the development of the poorest.” In 2025, as the Church prepares to celebrate the Jubilee Year—a biblical tradition rooted in the forgiveness of debts—we must push the G20 to commit to real debt relief and to the creation of a fair international insolvency framework.

Nourishing Bodies, Empowering Futures

But our message must also be hopeful and constructive. One of the most powerful ideas emerging from our continent is the push for universal school meals. Every child who eats a nutritious meal at school is healthier, learns better, and has a chance to escape poverty. Every local farmer who supplies that food strengthens the local economy. Every woman employed in food preparation or delivery gains dignity and income. School meals are not charity. They are a strategic investment in a more just society.

This is why we support the call, led by Congressman Jim McGovern and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to make universal school meals a G20 priority. Africa, with its moral authority and its demographic momentum, should lead the charge. We propose a continental coalition, driven by African governments, faith institutions, and development partners, to ensure that by 2030, no African child goes to school hungry.

Faith at the Table of Global Governance

Some may ask: What business do churches have in discussions of debt, climate, or economic justice? Our answer is simple: these are spiritual questions. Hunger is not just a policy failure—it is an affront to human dignity. Exclusion from education is not just inequality—it is a theft of God-given potential. Unpayable debt is not just poor planning—it is a modern form of oppression.

We do not come to the G20 with empty hands. Faith communities run more than 40% of healthcare services in Africa. They educate millions of children. They hold the trust of communities. They can mobilize. But most importantly, they can speak the truth—especially when that truth is uncomfortable.

A Call from the South

The world needs Africa’s moral imagination. As Pope Francis once declared, “From the peripheries, we often see more clearly.” The Cape Town Symposium is not a side event. It is a spark. From it, we hope to ignite a movement rooted in the Gospel’s call to justice and the African tradition of Ubuntu: I am because we are.

Let South Africa’s G20 presidency not be remembered for polite communiqués and photo opportunities. Let it be remembered as the moment when Africa stood tall—not just to ask, but to lead.

Let us rise, with courage and conviction, to build a world where justice is not a slogan, but a structure.

Thulani Mbuyisa is the Bishop of Kokstad and chairperson of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.