At the invitation of the President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón of the Government of Spain and United Nations Secretary – General António Guterres, the South African government, led by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Ronald Lamola will lead South Africa’s participating delegation to the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit that is taking place in Seville on 30 June 2025 – 3 July 2025.
This conference aims to address new and emerging issues in financing for development, including the need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reform the international financial architecture.
President Ramaphosa has delegated Minister Lamola as the Head of Delegation for the Summit following recent political developments that require close monitoring and management in the country.
South Africa’s participation at the Summit aligns with its G20 Presidency objectives of solidarity, equality and sustainability in complementing and supporting the Summits’ goals of reshaping the global financial system in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
On the margins of the 4th Financing for Development Summit, South Africa will convene a side event under the theme: “Forging a common agenda to achieve debt sustainability in developing economies”.
South Africa seeks to advance through cooperation and collaboration, sustainable solutions to tackle high structural deficits and liquidity challenges and to extend debt relief to developing economies which disproportionately affects countries in Africa.
This event will bring together leading voices from various debt-related initiatives to identify synergies and areas of convergence. It will seek consensus and highlight solutions that enjoy broad support.
South Africa’s delegation to the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit comprises the Minister in the Presidency for Planning , Monitoring and Evaluation Hon. Maropene Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo and senior government officials.
Africa Fact: The Ethiopian city of Axum has a series of 7 giant obelisks that date from perhaps 300 BC to 300 AD. They have details carved into them that represent windows and doorways of several storeys. The largest obelisk, now fallen, is in fact “the largest monolith ever made anywhere in the world”. It is 108 feet long, weighs a staggering 500 tons, and represents a thirteen-storey building.
Lime
Fun South African Fact: The world’s largest diamond was found in the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa on 25 January 1905.
Golden Cougar
Fun South African Fact: Bones found in South Africa help support the theory that modern humans originated in Africa.