Remarks by the President of the General Assembly
Mr. Philémon Yang
G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
25 September 2024, ECOSOC Chamber
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
The G20 remains a critical platform for addressing global economic challenges, fostering international cooperation, and driving sustainable development.
Under Brazil’s presidency, we have seen a renewed focus on inclusive growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability—priorities that resonate with both emerging and developed economies.
Brazil’s leadership has provided stability and vision at this critical time, guiding meaningful dialogue and collective action on the global stage.
Excellencies,
We convene at a critical moment when the world is uniting around the urgent need to revitalize our multilateral architecture, ensuring it is fit for addressing today’s challenging problems.
In this spirit, during the recently concluded Summit of the Future, we adopted the Pact for the Future, which outlined a comprehensive path forward for collective action.
I call on the G20 to take decisive steps in advancing the outcomes of that summit, particularly in reforming the international financial architecture to make it more equitable and effective for all nations.
G20 countries, representing approximately 60% of the global population and contributing around 85% of the world’s GDP, bear the responsibility of leading the charge in realizing the ambitious goals set out in the Pact.
Excellencies,
I appreciate Brazil’s initiative to convene this G20 meeting, open to all UN Member States. It reflects Brazil’s commitment to reinvigorating international cooperation and reforming global governance institutions.
I also wish to recognize the leadership of previous G20 presidencies from the Global South—Saudia Arabia, Indonesia and India—in representing and advancing the interests of developing nations.
This is a testament to the rising influence of the Global South in shaping global priorities.
Their efforts have laid the groundwork for continued progress on global equity and inclusivity.
As we look to the future, I express my optimism for South Africa’s upcoming G20 presidency.
With South Africa, and the African continent as a whole, taking the lead, we have a vital opportunity to continue this momentum and ensure the voices of the Global South are central to global decision-making.
As a son of Africa, I am eager to see South Africa’s leadership in 2025 advance the interests of the Global South, particularly in sustainable development, debt relief, climate action, and concessional financing, among other pressing areas.
I look forward to supporting the outcomes of your discussions today and wish you all a very successful meeting.
Thank you.
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