Thabang Phetla

Extract from my statement in my capacity as Chair of the @_AfricanUnion Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), delivered during the High-Level Opening Segment of the African Union Retreat on #G20 Engagements for 2026, in #Malabo: “The success of our permanent membership in the G20 will not be measured by our presence at the table, but by the tangible impact of our contributions. It will be measured by our ability to deliver results that accelerate Africa’s industrialization, address the heavy debt burdens facing our economies, and promote inclusive and equitable growth for the 1.4 billion Africans we represent here—and ultimately to realize the aspirations of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. “Let us use this retreat to consolidate our unity, refine our strategies, and prepare to engage the 2026 G20 Presidency with clarity, coherence, and unwavering determination. “But beyond the technical aspects, recent developments call for our serious attention. When the voice of South Africa, the icon and standard-bearer of the continent within the G20, is set aside by the country holding the rotating presidency in 2026, a deeper question arises for us as the African Union. What should be the concrete expression of our solidarity? Can it be limited to statements of principle, or must it be embodied in clear, deliberate, and collective positions? And above all, can we truly consider that sidelining one of us does not implicate the entire continent? For if the voice of one is weakened, the voice of all is diminished. And if the representation of one can be challenged without a collective response, then it is our very cohesion that is being tested. This moment must therefore prompt a clear-eyed, clear-headed and demanding reflection: are we ready to make our unity a genuine lever of influence, even when it requires speaking with one voice, firmly and consistently, in the face of imbalances in the international system? May this retreat enable us not only to prepare, but also to take a decisive step forward, towards an African solidarity that is fully assumed, strategic, and action-oriented.