The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke

Members of the media follow remarks by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on a screen in the media centre during the G20 Leaders’ Summit plenary session at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on November 22, 2025. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP)

When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like [Mean Girls voice] “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the G17 now.” 

Well, we’ve now arrived at that punchline — and it’s both being proven and disproven.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Cobus van Staden

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5 India Forced to Pay Russia in Yuan, Handing China an Unexpected Win
6 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C

You Might Like

Xi Can Skip the G20 Without Losing Africa. For Trump, It’s Different.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s predictable decision not to attend this Saturday’s G20 summit in Johannesburg is sparking quite a bit of chatter among journalists and other observers that Beijing is somehow dissing South ...

Can the G7 Imagine a Different Relationship With the World?

This week, the prominent Financial Times commentator Gideon Rachman argued that the upcoming G7 summit in Cornwall could be ‘the west’s last chance to lead.’ He acknowledged that the seven rich democracies that make ...

Biden to Attend G7 Summit With China on His Mind. Africa and Other Developing Regions Need to Brace For What Comes Next.

U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday ahead of a three-day G7 summit, where confronting China in various arenas will be among the top ...

U.S. Effort to Catch Up With China in the South Pacific Gets Off to Bumpy Start

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday welcomed leaders from 11 South Pacific island nations to the White House for a two-day summit that is widely seen as a critical part of Washington’s effort ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP
Detected IP: --