South Africa Hosts G20 Meeting, Urges Global Cooperation

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted a G20 foreign ministers meeting in Johannesburg, emphasizing the need for cooperation amid geopolitical tensions and a lack of consensus on global issues such as the Ukraine war and climate change. In his opening remarks, Ramaphosa highlighted that multilateralism and international law are essential for addressing world crises, pointing to deepening divisions within the group. Notably absent was US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who criticized the meeting's agenda, while ongoing tensions between the US and South Africa over land ownership laws and aid have complicated relations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended the meeting, where discussions included potential collaboration in peaceful space exploration and coordination in international forums. Ramaphosa also reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to supporting dialogue in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, voicing the importance of including Ukraine in peace processes. Overall, the discussions reflect South Africa's significant diplomatic role as it holds the G20 presidency and navigates complex international relations.