President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged world leaders to build fairer global partnerships and reform international institutions to better serve developing nations. Speaking at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, the President emphasized the need for cooperation that promotes equality, sustainability, and genuine empowerment across continents.
Addressing an audience of global leaders from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, Ramaphosa said the world was facing “geopolitical uncertainty and instability” that demanded coordinated and forward-looking solutions. He called for renewed commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, respect for international law, and the strengthening of multilateralism.
“This forum is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation, advance shared priorities, and find solutions to the pressing global challenges of our time,” he said.
The Global Gateway Forum, an initiative led by the European Union focuses on sustainable investment in infrastructure, energy, digitalisation, and connectivity between Europe and its global partners. South Africa values its long-standing strategic partnership with the EU, which continues to evolve “in scope and substance.”
The President highlighted the outcomes of the South Africa–EU Summit held in Cape Town earlier this year, describing it as a reaffirmation of shared values and a platform to deepen cooperation. “Together, we can strengthen resilience by advancing investments in digital and green infrastructure, securing supply chains, and supporting inclusive growth,” he said.
Ramaphosa welcomed the EU’s support for African development priorities, including transport networks, climate resilience, vaccine production, and digital connectivity. However, he also challenged European partners to go further in breaking down tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder African exports.
“We must use investment and trade as instruments to foster industrialisation on the African continent,” he urged. “The Global Gateway should empower African countries, not replace one dependency with another.”
The President outlined South Africa’s ongoing economic reforms in energy, water, logistics, and telecommunications, which he said are improving competitiveness and creating a better investment environment. He also emphasized the country’s just energy transition balancing the move toward renewable energy with social and economic development.
Africa’s push for universal access to energy, he added, requires equitable financing and technology transfer. “The support from the EU and its member states will play an important part in this journey,” Ramaphosa said.
Looking ahead to next month’s G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa the first ever hosted on African soil, Ramaphosa said the theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability reflected the continent’s priorities. He called on the global community to confront the debt crisis faced by developing nations and to reform financial institutions to promote fairness.
“It is simply unacceptable that many developing economy countries pay much more for their debt than developed nations,” he said. “This unfair treatment perpetuates inequality not only between individuals but among countries as well.”
Ramaphosa revealed that South Africa has established a G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality, chaired by Nobel laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz, to present proposals for tackling inequality at the upcoming summit.
The President also stressed the need for stronger climate financing, fair management of critical minerals, and protection against predatory mining practices. Reforming multilateral development banks and ensuring the World Trade Organisation remains central to global trade were also among his key points.
Closing his address, Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to working closely with the European Union and global partners. “Together, we can foster inclusive growth, build resilience, and create a sustainable and secure future for all our people,” he concluded.