Mbeki urges Africa to set its own agenda ahead of G20 summit

Dar es Salaam. Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has called on African nations to craft a bold, united economic agenda ahead of the G20 Summit in 2025, urging the continent’s business leaders to take charge of its development narrative.

Speaking at a high-level business roundtable held in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, Mr Mbeki stressed the need for renewed African solidarity, equality, and sustainable development.

The roundtable—jointly organised by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation and the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, and sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti—was part of the 15th Annual Africa Day Lecture activities. It brought together business leaders, academics, diplomats, and private sector stakeholders.

Mr Mbeki noted that the upcoming G20 Johannesburg Summit in November 2025—set to be the first on African soil—presents a rare opportunity for the continent to influence global discussions on critical issues including poverty, inequality, climate change, unemployment, food insecurity, and energy access.

“We must be organised and speak with one voice on matters of concern,” he said.

He warned against repeating past shortcomings, such as the failure to implement the 2010–2011 Africa Action Plan, and underscored the need for African-led policy frameworks.

“During my time in office, we championed Africa’s development at the G8 through initiatives backed by our own resources. Now that the African Union is a permanent G20 member, we must seize this opportunity to push forward our priorities,” he said.

The G20 comprises 19 leading economies and the European Union, including the United States, China, Brazil, India, and the United Kingdom.

South Africa remains the only African nation in the bloc, but the African Union’s full membership marks a turning point for the continent’s global engagement.

Held under the theme Building Consensus for South Africa’s G20 Presidency: Reigniting Africa’s Renaissance, the roundtable aimed to develop a coordinated African business strategy for engaging with the G20.

Renowned Tanzanian economist Prof Samwel Wangwe advocated for a return to the principles of self-reliance. He called for deeper African unity, a continental currency, protection of natural resources, stronger investment in innovation, and enhanced public-private partnerships.

“We must rethink the role of the African Union and create an enabling environment for sustainable economic growth,” Prof Wangwe said.

AngloGold Ashanti Vice President, Mr Simon Shayo, called for a shift in the private sector’s role in development.

“We must go beyond being economic actors—we should be architects of Africa’s future,” he said, citing the company’s 25-year contribution to Tanzania’s mining industry.

Thabo Mbeki Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr Lukhanyo Neer, echoed this, stressing the need for cooperation that transcends national and corporate interests.

“We need a united African voice in global economic platforms,” he said.

Tanzania’s Director for International Trade and Economic Diplomacy, Mr John Ulanga, noted that Africa currently secures only a third of the infrastructure financing it requires each year.

He called for simplified trade facilitation mechanisms and large-scale regional projects such as the Cape to Cairo corridor.

“Implementation must be championed by our heads of state—but grounded in African realities,” he said.

Former Tanzanian diplomat, Amb Ami Mpungwe, said Africa’s abundant natural resources should be seen as a platform for investment in technology, human capital, and innovation—not as an end in themselves.

He cited South African investment in Tanzania as a positive example of intra-African cooperation.

The discussions also touched on strategic sectors including energy, agriculture, and trade. Participants called for a shift from raw commodity exports to value addition, pointing to products like cashew nuts as having strong potential.

Youth empowerment and deeper collaboration between the public and private sectors were underscored as vital to long-term growth.

In her closing remarks, Ms Emily Kariuki, of the Mbeki Ndlela Foundation invoked the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, urging continued continental unity.

“When Africa acts together, we are unstoppable—even in the toughest global arenas,” she said.