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South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025 occurs at a time when global inequality, sovereign debt distress, and development financing gaps continue to restrict progress in the Global South, especially in Africa. This study examines how South Africa seeks to take advantage of its middle-power status and presidential agenda to advance African developmental priorities within the G20 framework. Using qualitative analysis of desk-based content and discourse of the G20 Leaders’ Declarations, Sherpa track documents, DIRCO policy statements, and related official communications, the document assesses both the formulation and acceptance of South Africa’s key policy positions. The findings indicate that South Africa has been effective in agenda-setting particularly in securing recognition of the need for fairer restructuring of sovereign debt, climate finance, and reforms of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). However, its efforts face structural resistance from advanced economies, limiting the extent to which these priorities translate into substantive changes in global financial governance or binding commitments on development financing. The study argues that to overcome these constraints, future Global South presidencies should adopt coordinated coalition-building strategies with the African Union (AU), BRICS+ and MDBs. Such alliances can strengthen negotiating power, ensure continuity across summits, and help move the G20 from rhetorical acknowledgement toward tangible systemic reforms that better serve vulnerable African economies.

The study sought to investigate the effect of foreign aid and capital flow on real economic growth for the SADC region. Eleven member states of the SADC region are selected for analysis based on data availability. In the study, foreign aid is represented by official development assistance (ODA), external debt (EXTD), and debt service cost (DSC) while the inflow of foreign direct investment represents capital flow (FDI). Annual percentage growth of per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDPpc) is used as a proxy of real economic growth. Trade balance (TRO) is included in the model regression as a control variable. The study employed panel econometric models.  The results of panel ARDL indicate that ODA and FDI were found to have a negligible effect on real growth in the short run but contribute positively and significantly in the long run. This revelation supports the view that ODA and FDI are essential determinants of growth. On the other hand, EXTD together with its associated costs was found to have a detrimental effect both in the short run and long run. Based on the results of the study, the authors put forward the following policy recommendations for the SADC region: most importantly, there ought to be effective management of external debt by SADC countries to reduce their overdependency on external debt for their domestic needs. Given the positive effect of FDI in the region, the SADC region needs to intensify its efforts in devising measures that will attract foreign investors to the region which among others include pursuing inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Lastly, there is a need for effective management and official development aid to ensure sustainable growth.