Summit offers Africa chance to redefine role

The upcoming G20 summit to be hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, represents a historic opportunity for the African continent to assert its collective interests and redefine its role in a rapidly evolving global economy, analysts said.

Coming at a time of a turbulent global trade system, the gathering of world leaders, business executives and trade negotiators presents a rare chance for Africa to push for a fairer deal that shields its exporters from protectionism and secures stable market access, they said.

"From fair trade and industrial transformation to value addition and market access, Africa now has the platform and the responsibility to put its interests squarely at the center of the global economic debate," said Gordon K'achola, a foreign policy analyst in Kenya.

South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency holds profound symbolic and strategic significance, representing a pivotal moment for the continent to shape the global agenda, champion its economic priorities and claim its rightful place at the decision-making table.

K'achola points out that the timing of the summit is coming at a critical moment, noting anxiety is mounting across African markets over the rising wave of protectionism, the US preferential trade program and uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, after its expiry on Sept 30. The act had granted sub-Saharan countries tariff-free access under certain conditions to the US since 2000.

The US imposed broad "reciprocal tariffs" on important African exports earlier this year, affecting South Africa's auto, wine and citrus exports.

Other countries that have faced similar threats include Ghana's cocoa processors, Ethiopia's leather and garment industries and Kenya's textile and macadamia exporters.

Trade experts warn that the 10 to 50 percent duties imposed on African nations have shaken the industries, with business leaders warning of job losses and declining rural incomes.

Jemimah Oyieke, a Nairobi-based denim exporter whose business serves both domestic and foreign markets, said the US tariffs were a "complete shock".

"We have spent years building compliance systems, maintaining quality standards and nurturing relationships. Yet overnight, the competitiveness we worked so hard to achieve vanished under a new duty structure we had no voice in," she said.

But Lee Kinyanjui, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, said the East African nation will continue to engage constructively with US authorities to safeguard and expand the historical trade ties that have benefited both nations.

South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola has also stated that trade talks between South Africa and the United States are "very positive", and there is hope that the US Congress could renew a key free trade agreement with the continent before the end of the year.

Duty-free access

Since the inception of AGOA in 2000, the program has granted duty-free access for over 6,000 African products, from textiles and apparel to agricultural goods. However, the act's renewal beyond 2025 remains uncertain, with competing proposals and political debates in Washington creating a climate of unpredictability.

In light of this, Africa's first G20 provides a forum for advocating stable, rules-based economic agreements. Experts and policymakers around the continent contend that Africa needs to take advantage of this opportunity to insist that preferences for market access be shielded from changes in industrialized economies' political landscapes.

"We need to advocate for trade agreements that safeguard our exports and offer stability over the long run. The G20 gives us a platform to demand that justice be made the norm rather than the exception," according to Brian Ngugi, an independent analyst on China-Africa issues based in Nairobi.

He warned that entire value chains can fall apart in an instant, adding that industries that depend on low-priced commodities and raw materials are particularly susceptible to changes in external policy.

The expert urged African governments to use the G20 to advocate for mechanisms that discourage unilateral tariff actions, promote fair competition and strengthen Africa's ability to trade within itself through the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The AfCFTA, already the largest free trade zone by membership, is viewed as the continent's best insurance policy against external shocks. By deepening regional integration and promoting value addition, African economies can reduce dependence on single export markets.

"It's up to African leaders to use it wisely, to speak with one voice and follow through long after the historic two-day summit," Ngugi noted.