Public Lecture delivered by the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile at St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
Programme Director;
The Honourable Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Professor Sergey Andryushin;
Esteemed Members of the University’s Academic Senate;
The Executive Leadership and Faculty of St. Petersburg State University;
Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To begin, allow me to take this opportunity to convey warm greetings from President Cyril Ramaphosa and the people of South Africa to the entire academic community and the people of the Russian Federation.
It is a great honour for me to address you at this prestigious institution, the St. Petersburg State University, a beacon of academic excellence and historical significance.
Emperor Peter the Great had great foresight when he founded the University by decree in 1724. Since then, the institution has had a profound impact on Russian intellectual life and has produced a long list of illustrious alumni, including President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Lenin, Dmitri Mendeleev, and countless others.
Today, St. Petersburg State University is the only university in Russia to have marked its 290th anniversary.
I am informed that for almost three centuries of its history, the University has been home to thousands of prominent scientists, public figures, government officials, politicians, writers, artists, and musicians.
The presence of so many renowned scholars, leaders, and diplomats here today is a testament to the university’s continued relevance in shaping discourse on global affairs.
Taking this in the context of South Africa, I would say anti-apartheid activists, like Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, played an important part in shaping human rights and social justice politics globally.
Despite the prevailing geopolitical environment, South Africa is steadfast in its commitment to this course, and with our G20 Presidency, we possess a unique opportunity to influence the global discourse on critical issues.
In this sense, I was impressed to learn that I would be speaking on the theme "South Africa's G20 Presidency in a rapidly changing global geopolitical environment", since, as the current President of the G20, we understand the responsibility that comes with our position.
As we gather here today, amidst the tumultuous global crises characterised by rising geopolitical tensions, trade wars, unemployment, inequality, poverty, armed conflicts, and climate catastrophe, it has become very clear that the world needs solidarity now more than ever.
In the face of uncertainty and volatility, South Africa believes in the power of collaboration and cooperation to overcome the challenges ahead.
We aim to capitalise on the prospects of globalisation while limiting its risks and ensuring that the benefits of economic progress and technological advancement are shared by all.
Only through exercising solidarity and identifying with each other’s struggles can we do justice to the notion of international community or “Ubuntu”, as we call it in South Africa, which, when loosely translated, means “I am because you are”.
It is for this reason that South Africa has themed its G20 Presidency, “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”.
This takes me to my next point – that of the importance of solidarity.
The Russian Educational academies contributed immensely to the reconstruction and development of a democratic state in South Africa. Many of our finest men and women who went on to take up influential leadership positions in South African society were academically trained in this country.
Dare I say, we benefited from the solidarity of Russia and her people during our time of need, when it was not applauded by most parts of the world. The solidarity we received from this country stemmed from empathy rather than sympathy. The act of empathy was identifying our struggle as your struggle, rather than a gesture of charity.
Our gratitude for this enduring solidarity is not symbolic. It is part of the foundation upon which post-apartheid South Africa is built.
Therefore, we view the Russian Federation not only as a strategic partner but also as a historic friend, whose sacrifices are deeply ingrained in the broader narrative of Africa’s liberation.
In 2025, we must build upon that legacy and strengthen our cooperation in science, technology, research, and innovation.
The future lies in knowledge economies, and universities like yours can serve as bridges that connect the emerging priorities of BRICS, the African Union, and South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
The St. Petersburg State University is a natural partner in this effort. Already, your Faculty of International Relations and the Institute for African Studies are engaging scholars across the continent. We welcome deepened collaboration with South Africa’s leading institutions – including the University of Pretoria, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the University of Witwatersrand - in the form of joint degrees, cultural exchange programmes, and multilateral research in areas such as climate science, oceanography, and cybersecurity.
In addition, I wish to add that in your quest to further establish collaborations with our institutions of higher learning, you may also want to consider historical institutions such as the University of Fort Hare, which has a rich history of South Africa’s journey towards freedom, with notable alumni such as former President Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, and other South African stalwarts.
We are particularly encouraged by the initiative to establish Russian language centres in South African universities, and we see room to reciprocate by expanding African Studies departments in Russian institutions.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The G20 has a significant role to play in fostering global cooperation, collaboration and partnership to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
The following five Presidencies of the G20 before 2030 will need to prioritise accelerating progress toward the attainment of the SDGs at the top of their agenda. The United Nations' 2024 Report on SDGs succinctly captures the gravity of the crisis by highlighting that just 17 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goal targets are on track.
The sombre picture of the global situation suggests that if the ambitious 2030 deadline is to be met, a paradigm shift is required by the international community in the form of changing the mindset as well as putting practical solutions on the table.
In response to this situation, South Africa’s G20 Presidency will, through its four overarching priorities, seek to address those challenges that stifle the ability of the Global South, in particular, to achieve desired levels of growth and development:
a) Firstly, we will take action to strengthen disaster resilience and response.
Climate-induced natural disasters are affecting countries worldwide, with devastating impacts on those that cannot afford the costs of recovery and rebuilding. We call on G20 Leaders to urge the global community, including international financial institutions, development banks, and the private sector, to scale up post-disaster reconstruction.
b) Secondly, we are taking action to ensure debt sustainability for low-income countries.
Developing countries are facing high borrowing costs, resulting in debt distress and draining resources away from development. Governments transferred US$49 billion more to external creditors than received in 2022 fresh financing. Debt is also crowding out domestic expenditures, with 3.3 billion people in countries where interest payments exceed spending on education and health.
Under South Africa's G20 presidency, the G20 will refocus on debt sustainability, focusing on Africa. We aim to address international debt architecture weaknesses, such as high financing costs and prioritising debt service payments over development needs, to mitigate the negative human impacts of debt distress.
c) Thirdly, we will work to mobilise finance for a Just Energy Transition.
The impact of climate change reminds us that shared aspirations and mutual responsibilities bind us together. The G20 leaders should secure agreement on increasing the quality and quantity of climate finance flows to developing countries, as previously agreed.
The agreement includes strengthening multilateral development banks, enhancing and streamlining support for country platforms such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership, and more effectively leveraging private capital.
d) Finally, we seek to harness critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
South Africa's G20 Presidency plans to promote an inclusive framework for green industrialisation and investment, aiming to enhance value addition to critical minerals near their extraction sites. We will also take forward the outcomes of the 2024 report of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Having championed and led the campaign for the African Union’s inclusion in the G20, we are now working with the African Union to amplify Africa's voice in global economic governance.
We are also ensuring that the development priorities of the African Continent and the Global South find expression firmly on the agenda of the G20.
From an African perspective, the G20’s support for emerging and developing economies to achieve sustainable development is vital for global stability and security.
The rise in global commodity prices and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area present numerous opportunities for African economies.
We can say with confidence that the African Union’s six priorities for its participation in the G20 are all reflected in South Africa’s theme, task forces, high-level deliverables, and the priorities to be advanced in the various working groups under both the Sherpa and Finance Tracks.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The G20 recognises the United Nations (UN) Charter as the foundation for international relations and advocates for its principles to guide global cooperation. As South Africa holds the G20 Presidency, we acknowledge the necessity of multilateralism, international law, and UN reform, especially in the face of global issues like poverty and conflict.
We also see the UN's role as the primary international platform for addressing these issues and promoting peace, security, and human rights.
It is important to note that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and its lodestar document, the UN Charter.
The 80th Anniversary provides us with the opportunity to assess progress and challenges and propose solutions relevant to the present.
The world will be eternally grateful to Russia for the immense sacrifices it made, at the irrevocable cost of millions of Russian sons and daughters, to protect the ideas of solidarity, peace, equality, and liberty, which we now regard as fundamental global rights.
This victory over the evils of Nazism, fascism, and imperialism prepared the way for the liberation of the oppressed majority in the Global South, particularly Africa, from the remnants of colonialism and its evil twin, apartheid in our South African context.
This triumph over evil ushered in a world order based on the UN Charter. It is also important to review the Preamble of the UN Charter, which reminds us that the United Nations was formed to, among other things;
- save succeeding generations from the scourge of war;
- reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of people and nations;
- establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained; and
- to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.
It is thus imperative that we place the respect for the centrality of the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law at the centre of our discussions on the global situation today.
Equally, we must also appreciate that the world today is a different place compared to what it was in 1945 when the United Nations was established.
For example, most countries from the Global South in general and Africa in particular were still under colonial subjugation and were not members of the United Nations.
Today, the majority of UN member states are from the developing world. We thus need to amplify the call for the UN to be reformed and made fit for purpose for today’s realities.
This includes the reform of the United Nations Security Council, the multilateral trading system and the International Financial Architecture.
In this regard, we stand firm in the knowledge that Russia supports the aspirations of the Global South and the African Continent for a permanent seat at the table of nations of the UN Security Council.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
South Africa maintains a non-aligned position in international affairs, prioritising state sovereignty, peaceful dispute resolution, and multilateralism. This attitude is reflected in our foreign policy, which includes a dedication to the UN Charter.
We advocate for peaceful resolutions to conflicts rather than sanctions or military intervention. We urge for de-escalation in Middle East conflicts, a lasting truce in South Sudan, and reaffirm our call for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
We must silence the guns all over the world!
Lastly, the responsibility to navigate the unfolding, tumultuous geopolitical environment is a mammoth one, it is therefore instructive that the G20, under our Presidency, supports the restoration of global stability and common purpose.
Ours is to recommit to the principles of solidarity, equality, and sustainability by emphasising the need for dialogue, multilateralism, and finding common ground to address global challenges.
I thank you, Spasibo!
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