External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar will visit Johannesburg, South Africa on February 20-21, 2025 to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM).

The visit comes at the invitation of South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola. South Africa assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2024, and will hold the position until November 2025. 

EAM Jaishankar’s participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India’s engagement with G20 countries and bolster the voice of the Global South in this important forum, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) as it announced the visit.

While in Johannesburg, EAM Jaishankar is also expected to hold a few bilateral meetings in the margins of the FMM.

The G20 comprises 19 leading economies along with the European Union and African Union. It represents 85% of global GDP, over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population. 

The presidency rotates annually among members. India held the presidency in 2022-2023, successfully hosting the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit and highlighting the priorities for countries of the Global South. India also played a key role in ensuring the African Union’s inclusion as a full member of the grouping during the 2023 summit.