G20 Update – Spotlight On Advancing Young People During Youth Month
By Shumirai Chimombe
With June being Youth Month, and 16 June being Youth Day, there has been a focus on addressing young people’s issues for the G20. On 9 June Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes delivered the keynote remarks at the G20 Youth Symposium at Stable Theatre in Durban. The event was attended by youth leaders and delegates under the theme: “Advancing Youth Inclusion in the G20 Presidency Agenda”. He highlighted that 4.8 million South Africans aged 15 – 34 are unemployed; 58% of them have never had a single day of paid work, and the youth unemployment rate climbed to 46.1% in the first quarter of this year. Against this backdrop, he indicated that the objectives, outcomes and outputs for the G20 must be unapologetically youth-centred.
“In the Employment Working Group of the Sherpa Track we are negotiating a compact on youth employment and skills, building on the Antalya Goals but adding targets for digital-economy apprenticeships, recognition of micro-credentials and mutual portability of qualifications across G20 members. If endorsed by leaders, the compact will hopefully translate into an estimated 10 million paid internship placements over five years, with a gender-parity clause and an annual public score-card so you can hold the G20 accountable.
In the Finance Track, we are advancing an “Innovation & Inclusion Facility” financed through blended public-private instruments to support start-ups led by women and young people in frontier technologies and green manufacturing. Its first-phase endowment of $3-billion will be disbursed via challenge funds that prioritise township and rural enterprises, with a target of 150 000 sustainable jobs by 2027.
In the Agriculture Working Group and the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group, we are championing a Just Agri-Transition Facility that links smallholder farmers including youth to climate-smart finance and regional value chains. Finally, our AI priority will hopefully deliver a “Pan-G20 Youth Digital Corps,” a volunteer-to-employment pipeline that pairs South African coders with continental and global partners to solve public-sector data challenges.”
Speaking to the media after the event, Mr Botes said that his key take-away from this event was about how young people in South Africa should use the momentous occasion of Youth Month to ensure that they express their aspirations and ambitions to become part of the G20 Presidential Declaration in November. “We have taken the young people in confidence on very pertinent areas for their contribution in terms of the G20, in particular using the Y20 as a catalyst for these issues.” YOUTH (Y20) is a platform that enables dialogue between young people from G20 member countries. As future leaders of their nations and the world, they have the opportunity to reflect on the priority agenda of youth; to influence debates; and to contribute to the preparation of public policies.
G20 South Africa underscores that youth participation in the international decision-making process is more than a necessity: it is an imperative. Their perspectives and innovations are fundamental to addressing issues that are relevant to the world—ranging from climate change and sustainability to social justice and economic inclusion. The Y20, in this sense, is a vital channel for integrating these voices into the global dialogue, ensuring that policies and strategies developed within the G20 are not only comprehensive, but also progressive and resilient.
Young People Set to Converge in Parliament For A Special Sitting
Parliament announced that it was convening a landmark P20 Youth Parliament sitting on Friday, 13 June in the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town. This high-level session, held just three days before Youth Day, was aimed at bringing together young Members of Parliament, provincial legislators, youth advocates, and ministers to shape a national youth development agenda. This agenda will directly inform South Africa’s priorities at the 2025 G20 and P20 Summit. With youth unemployment at alarmingly high levels, the sitting will focus on youth economic participation and sustainable employment opportunities. It will provide a platform for young leaders to propose policy solutions and secure concrete commitments from the government.
Upcoming events calendar for June
9 – 11 Third Digital Economy Working Group Meeting
9 – 12 Second Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting
9 – 10 Third International Financial Architecture Working Group Meeting
9 – 12 Fourth Health Working Group Meeting
10 – 12 U20 Tshwane Sherpa Summit
12 – 13 Third Task Force 3 Meeting: Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development
12 – 13 Third Sustainable Finance Working Group Meeting
15 – 18 Y20 Pre-Summit
18 – 19 Third Task Force 1 Meeting: Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment, and Reduce Inequality
19 – 20 T20 South Africa 2025 Mid-Term Conference
20 – 21 G20 Empower Alliance Inception Meeting
24 – 25 Third Framework Working Group Meeting
24 – 25 SAI20 Summit
25 – 27 Third Sherpa Meeting
Source: G20 South Africa | South African Parliament | Government of South Africa
