The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), FEDUSA, NACTU and SAFTU will co-host the Labour 20 (L20) Summit in Gqeberha from February 18 to19. This pivotal event coincides with South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025, providing a crucial platform for workers in Africa and the Global South to advance a progressive agenda.

The G20, comprising 19 countries plus the African Union and the European Union, represents 85% of the global economy, 75% of world trade, and 67% of the world’s population. As the G20 presidency rotates annually, South Africa’s leadership in 2025 offers a unique opportunity to shape the global agenda.

Under the theme, “Solidarity, Inclusion, and Sustainability,” South Africa has prioritised key areas including hunger and poverty, debt and development, inclusion, just transition, sustainable financing for development, reform of the international financial architecture, strengthening the WTO, digital transformation, and governance of critical minerals. A central focus will be placing Africa’s development at the forefront of the G20 agenda.

The L20, as the strategic platform for labour within the G20 framework, will convene under the theme, “Living and working in an unequal world: ensuring decent work and decent lives.” Its four priorities are inclusive growth and youth development, gender equality in the workforce, addressing inequality and a declining labour income share, and digitalisation, platform work, and the inclusive future of work. Organised labour played a key role in shaping this theme, ensuring it reflects the pressing challenges faced by workers.

The four federations’ priorities for the L20 and G20 include:

• Demanding implementation and reporting on previous progressive commitments related to collective bargaining, minimum wages, social dialogue, social protection, and job security.
• Advocating for workers’ issues to be central not only to the L20 but also other G20 working streams, particularly finance, development, climate change, and just transition.
• Promoting inclusive economies with a focus on women workers, youth, and people with disabilities.
• Demanding the transformation of multilateral institutions and addressing debt and fiscal austerity measures imposed on developing countries, including advocating for debt justice.
• Promoting a global tax system that prevents tax evasion and considers a wealth tax on the super-rich.
• Pushing for tangible and measurable benefits for workers.
• Securing binding agreements to ensure continued progress even after the US takes over the G20 presidency in 2026.

We, as organised labour in South Africa, recognise the G20 as a crucial arena for advancing the interests of workers and the working class in the Global South. The L20 summit in Gqeberha will serve as a powerful platform to amplify workers’ voices and drive meaningful change on a global scale with particular attention to workers in Africa and the Global South.

Issued by COSATU

Zanele Sabela (National Spokesperson)

Mobile: 079 287 5788

Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za