JOHANNESBURG, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A Civil 20 (C20) official said on Monday that civil society organizations from South Africa, across Africa, and worldwide hope the Group of 20 (G20) will address key issues such as debt, youth employment, and economic growth in its outcomes.
Thulani Tshefuta, C20 South Africa chairperson, made the remarks while briefing the media in Pretoria, South Africa's administrative capital.
Tshefuta said their approach to their deliberations is focused on South Africa's G20 presidency theme of "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability." He said they expect the outcomes of the G20 Summit to prioritize policies, programs, and budgets that promote massive youth employment, debt relief, trade, inclusive growth, a stable global financial architecture, and development aid.
"Many regions across the world are constrained by a low growth trajectory and need bold structural reforms to lift economic growth. Developing economies must be given space for debt relief and cancellation to redirect debt service costs toward productive economic activities," said Tshefuta. "We must spare no effort in advancing the transformation and democratization of global structures of governance and global financial architecture that are fit for purpose."
Tshefuta said they are opposed to "economic dominance by the few." He said the G20 should promote programs that reduce poverty through skills development, social protection, employment, and entrepreneurship.
The C20 would like to see the non-state actors directly involved in people-to-people exchanges, cultural exchanges, and sports, said Tshefuta.
"To yield collective ownership of the outcomes of G20, its structures, processes, and outcomes should promote active citizenry through people-to-people diplomacy, emphasizing the role of ordinary citizens and non-state actors in promoting mutual respect, cultural exchanges, and international cooperation," he added.
The C20 is an official engagement group of the G20 that provides a platform for civil society organizations, including youth, non-governmental organizations, women's groups, and organizations representing people with disabilities, to engage with and influence G20 policy and decision-making. The C20 will hold its final summit in November, where its final outcomes will be crafted to be presented to the G20 leaders.
