G20 2025: Africa Calls for Stronger Voice in Shaping Global Health Policy

As South Africa prepares to host the 20th G20 Summit in November 2025, the first G20 summit held on African soil, the continent is seizing a historic opportunity. It aims to assert a stronger voice in global health policy. With the G20 presidency under South Africa’s leadership since December 2024, Africa is advancing its priorities within this influential forum. The goal is to address critical health challenges that disproportionately impact the continent.

Africa’s Growing Role in Global Health Governance

The G20, comprising 19 countries and two regional unions including the African Union (AU), shapes international economic, financial, and social policy. South Africa’s presidency emphasizes “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.” These principles reflect Africa’s aspirations to transform global cooperation and ensure equitable health outcomes.

African leaders and stakeholders have increasingly called for policies that recognize the distinct health burdens Africa faces. These include infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, healthcare infrastructure deficits, and pandemic preparedness gaps. The continent advocates for inclusion in decision-making and equitable access to vaccines and medicines. Furthermore, it seeks stronger financing mechanisms for health systems.

Global Health Policy Framework

The current Global Health Policy framework, as shaped largely by the World Health Organization’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14) for 2025–2028, offers a comprehensive, ambitious agenda aimed at promoting health equity and building resilient health systems worldwide.

This policy framework has six strategic objectives that guide global efforts: addressing climate change as a health threat; tackling root causes and health determinants across sectors; advancing primary health care (PHC) to expand essential health services; improving health service coverage and financial protection to reduce inequalities; preventing and preparing for health risks and emergencies; and rapidly detecting and responding to health crises.

Anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the framework seeks to ensure billions of people benefit from better health and well-being, universal health coverage without financial hardship, and stronger protections against health emergencies by 2028. It emphasizes joint global action, partnership, political commitment, and sustainable financing to achieve these goals.

Emerging Challenges and the Need for a Future-Proof Global Health Policy

The policy also recognizes new global challenges such as geopolitical shifts, population ageing, migration, and technological progress, requiring innovative collaboration among countries, multilateral agencies, and stakeholders to “future-proof” health systems.

Today’s Global Health Policy is a bold, multidimensional roadmap prioritising equity, resilience, and inclusivity, with a focus on ensuring no one is left behind in efforts to promote health for all in a rapidly changing world. Africa’s call for a stronger voice within this framework at the G20 Summit 2025 reflects the desire for policies that more directly address the continent’s unique health challenges and priorities.

Key Health Priorities Africa Champions at G20 2025

During the dozens of working groups and ministerial meetings held throughout 2025, Africa is driving discussions focused on:

• Strengthening healthcare systems to ensure resilience against pandemics and health emergencies.
• Expanding access to essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies across low- and middle-income countries.
• Addressing social determinants of health such as nutrition, sanitation, and universal health coverage to reduce inequalities.
• Enhancing collaboration for disease prevention, health innovation, and capacity building aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
• Supporting sustainable financing including innovative funding to ensure long-term health investments.

South Africa’s Leadership and Regional Collaboration

South Africa as the G20 chair is positioning the continent’s health agenda at the forefront by convening key stakeholders. This includes health ministers, development partners, academia, and private sector leaders. Through platforms like the Health Working Group and relevant task forces, South Africa champions inclusive policy frameworks. These frameworks integrate African perspectives and priorities.

Additionally, the G20 presidency facilitates closer engagement with multilateral organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank. It also coordinates with global health initiatives to mobilize resources and technical support tailored to Africa’s needs.

Addressing Global Health Inequalities

At the heart of Africa’s G20 engagement is the urgent call to tackle global health inequalities that have been starkly revealed during recent global health crises. Africa urges stronger mechanisms to promote technology transfer and local manufacturing of vaccines and medicines. There is also a focus on resilience-building in health supply chains.

The continent also advocates for equitable representation in global health governance structures. This ensures that African countries have a decisive stake in shaping policies that directly affect their populations.

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Outcomes and Legacy

The 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg is expected to deliver commitments that accelerate progress toward universal health coverage and health security. Africa’s proactive role aims to embed solidarity and fairness into the global health architecture. This fosters a more responsive and inclusive system.

South Africa’s leadership hopes to leave a lasting legacy. This legacy aims to amplify Africa’s voice and translate into concrete actions that improve health outcomes. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen pandemic preparedness worldwide.