G20 performance on development

As the final G20 member to host a summit in the first 20-summit cycle, South Africa seeks to amplify the Global South’s voice and refocus G20 priorities towards sustainable development and African development even more. 

With five years left until the 2030 deadline to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, South Africa has built its presidency on the theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability’. Sustainable development will be reflected in the declaration issued at the Johannesburg Summit. Incorporating the spirit of Ubuntu – ‘humanity to others’ – South Africa is championing synergetic commitments to support global development. The depth and clarity of its presidency in articulating its stance on development suggest a strong likelihood of compliance with the many development commitments the summit will make.

Deliberation

From 2008 to 2024, the G20 devoted an average of 21% of its declarations to development at each summit. The 2008 summit gave 18%, 2009 London gave 28% and 2009 Pittsburgh gave 25%. The 2010 summits in Toronto and Seoul gave 35% and 58% respectively.

Cannes in 2011 produced 18%, which rose to 32% at Los Cabos in 2012 and 27% at St Petersburg in 2013. At Brisbane in 2014, development fell to 22%, then to 16% at Antalya in 2015. It jumped to 25% in 2016 at Hangzhou but plummeted to 17% for three years. It rose to 33% at 2020 Riyadh, 26% at Rome 2021 and leapt to 48% at 2022 Bali. The 2023 New Delhi Summit gave 52% to development and the 2024 Rio de Janeiro Summit set an all-time peak of 60%. 

Decisions

The 3,656 commitments made by G20 leaders since 2008 include 415 (11%) on development, ranking second below macroeconomic policy and above financial regulation. They started with four (4%) commitments in 2008, increased to 15 (12%) at London in 2009, and dropped to nine (7%) at Pittsburgh in 2009 and eight (13%) at Toronto in 2010. The 2010 Seoul Summit rose to 22 (14%), followed by 17 (6%) in 2011, 10 (6%) in 2012 and 43 (15%) in 2013. In 2014, they made 18 (8%), then 33 (21%) in 2015 and 18 (8%) in 2016. In 2017 at Hamburg they produced an all-time high of 71 (13%), followed by an all-time low of four (3%) in 2018. This rose to 24 (17%) in 2019, fell to seven (7%) in 2020, and rose to 18 (8%) in 2021 and 23 (10%) in 2022. The 2023 summit made 47 (19%) of its 242 commitments on development and the 2024 summit made 25 (14%) of its 174 commitments on development.

Delivery

Members’ compliance with the 56 development commitments assessed by the G20 Research Group averaged 68%, below the G20’s overall average of 71%.

Development compliance started strong with 90% for 2008, plummeted to 58% for London and 63% for Pittsburgh in 2009, then rose to 68% for Toronto and 65% for Seoul in 2010, and 67% for 2011. It jumped to 89% for 2012, plunged to an all-time low of 52% for 2013, rose to 64% each for 2014 and 2015, soared to 93% for Hangzhou in 2016, and declined to 79% for Hamburg in 2017 and 73% for Buenos Aires in 2018. Osaka’s 2019 summit rose to 90%. The 2020 Riyadh Summit had 83% compliance. The all-time high came for the 2021 Rome Summit with 95%. Compliance with the 2022 Bali commitments plummeted to 50%. The 2023 New Delhi Summit rose again to 79%. By May 2025 compliance with two development commitments assessed from the 2024 Rio de Janeiro Summit averaged 57%.

Development compliance overall was led by the United Kingdom and Germany at 86%, and the European Union at 84%. The current G20 governing troika is lower: 2024 host Brazil at 65%, 2025 host South Africa at 56% and 2026 host the United States above average at 77%.

Causes

Higher compliance with these development commitments coincides with fewer development commitments made at a summit. The nine summits with the highest compliance (85% average) made 9% of the total development commitments. In contrast, the nine summits with the lowest compliance (61%) contributed 12% of the total commitments. Thus, the Johannesburg Summit should make fewer commitments on development.

To help secure higher compliance with development commitments, G20 leaders should focus on the SDGs as those commitments averaged 82% compliance versus 66% for those that did not. 

However, development commitments that referenced Africa averaged only 49% compliance, compared to 69% for those that did not. At Johannesburg – the first summit hosted by an African country – the declaration will likely refer often to Africa.

Conclusion

In July 2025, G20 development ministers reaffirmed their collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and agreed to intensify efforts to achieve the SDGs, given that 18% are on track and 17% are making moderate progress. Although South Africa has historically recorded lower levels of compliance with development commitments, its G20 presidency offers the opportunity to shape the agenda and action. Commitments are thus likely to be more closely aligned with its national priorities, as South Africa underscores its commitment to sustainable development and advances a paradigm shift towards implementing practical solutions. Prospects are thus good for South Africa and its G20 colleagues to achieve higher compliance with their Johannesburg commitments.