occasional-paper-227-ae2b2b900d572dc0.pdf

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the intersection between the G-20's global economic governance agenda and the development priorities of Africa, specifically as outlined in the African Union's Agenda 2063. It evaluates progress since 2010 in areas such as infrastructure financing and regional integration, noting that while the G-20 has mainstreamed development issues, African representation remains limited to South Africa as a permanent member.

• South Africa is the only permanent African member of the G-20, a position attributed to geographical representation and its integration into global financial markets rather than its relative economic size.
• The G-20 established the Development Working Group (DWG) in 2010 to address the development gap and poverty, focusing on inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth to support long-term global growth and new growth poles in developing countries.
• The G-20 DWG's agenda has been rationalized into five priority areas: infrastructure, domestic resource mobilisation, financial inclusion and remittances, food security and nutrition, and human resource development.
• The African Union's Agenda 2063 is a 50-year strategy designed to optimize Africa's resources through seven pillars, including inclusive growth, political integration, good governance, peace and security, cultural identity, people-driven development, and establishing Africa as an influential global partner.
• Despite early recommendations in 2011 for the G-20 to support African regional economic integration—including reviewing intra-regional trade barriers and supporting the AU Minimum Integration Plan—momentum has been lost and these objectives are not actively pursued in the current DWG agenda.
• Infrastructure financing is a critical overlap between G-20 and African priorities. The G-20 has made progress through initiatives like the Global Infrastructure Hub (2014) and the World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Facility, though challenges remain regarding project preparation, regional coordination, and the need for 'soft' infrastructure like upskilling labour.
• Various financing instruments for African infrastructure are identified, including bonds, public-private partnerships (PPPs), sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) in oil-rich nations like Nigeria and Angola, and pension funds, such as South Africa's Government Employees Pension Fund which invested ZAR 1 billion in a green bond in 2012.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). occasional-paper-227-ae2b2b900d572dc0.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Occasional-Paper-227.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. occasional-paper-227-ae2b2b900d572dc0.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Occasional-Paper-227.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=occasional-paper-227-ae2b2b900d572dc0.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Occasional-Paper-227.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndoccasionalpaper227ae2b2b900d572dc0pdf, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{occasional-paper-227-ae2b2b900d572dc0.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Occasional-Paper-227.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }