South Africa pushes for debt relief and global financial reform at UN Financing Summit in Spain
South Africa is participating in the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, from Monday, June 30 to July 3, 2025.
The South African delegation will be led by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed to head the delegation in light of recent political developments.
The conference, co-hosted by Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, aims to tackle pressing global challenges, including the reform of the international financial architecture and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
”President Ramaphosa has delegated Minister Lamola as the Head of Delegation for the Summit following recent political developments that require close monitoring and management in the country,” said the presidency’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
South Africa’s participation aligns with its G20 Presidency priorities, emphasising solidarity, equality, and sustainability—principles deemed crucial for reshaping global financial systems to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As part of the Summit, South Africa will host a side event themed “Forging a common agenda to achieve debt sustainability in developing economies.”
The event aims to build consensus and collaboration around sustainable debt solutions, particularly for African countries disproportionately affected by structural deficits and liquidity constraints.
“South Africa seeks to advance through cooperation and collaboration, sustainable solutions to tackle high structural deficits and liquidity challenges and to extend debt relief to developing economies which disproportionately affects countries in Africa,” said Magwenya
The side event will bring together key players from global debt initiatives to identify synergies and areas of convergence, aiming to elevate voices from the Global South in reform discussions.
Joining Minister Lamola are Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo, and senior government officials .
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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