Strong Anti‑Terror Stance And AI Safeguards: South Africa Summit Declaration Reflects India’s G20 Presidency Imprint

Johannesburg: India has succeeded in shaping the G20 South African Summit Leaders’ Declaration, ensuring that the priorities it championed during its own presidency are clearly reflected in the final document. The declaration, issued at the summit, outright condemned terrorism in all its forms. Further, it firmly supported the concerns of the Global South and reaffirmed a number of commitments that India introduced while it held the G20 chair.

The text of the declaration repeats two of India’s key themes, which are terrorism and transformative digitalisation, and safe and secure use of artificial intelligence. The declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms, a wording that marked one of the strongest statements on the issue in recent G20 communiques, and it recognised the transformative potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), stressing the need for safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). 

The G20 leaders cited the New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro declarations, pledging to promote international cooperation on AI, share its benefits equitably and mitigate its risks while respecting human rights, transparency and accountability. On terrorism, marking one of the strongest global stance, the declaration stated, "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations." 

Importantly, India’s push for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform was reflected in the text, which called for a more representative and inclusive council that better reflects the realities of the 21st century.

G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders' Declaration Condemns Terrorism In All Its Forms

Here's how the G20 leaders' declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms:

1. We, Leaders of the G20, who gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa, for this historic first Summit on the African Continent under the South African G20 Presidency, on 22 and 23 November 2025, addressed major global challenges and discussed ways to promote solidarity, equality and sustainability as key pillars of inclusive growth.
2. For the first time, G20 Leaders have convened in Africa. In the spirit of Ubuntu, we recognise that individual nations cannot thrive in isolation. The African philosophy of Ubuntu, often translated as "I am because we are", emphasises the interconnectedness of individuals within a broader communal, societal, economic, and environmental context. We understand our interconnectedness as a global community of nations and reaffirm our commitment to ensure that no one is left behind through multilateral cooperation, macro policy coordination, global partnerships for sustainable development and solidarity.
3. We meet against the backdrop of rising geopolitical and geo-economic competition and instability, heightened conflicts and wars, deepening inequality, increasing global economic uncertainty and fragmentation. In the face of this challenging political and socio-economic environment, we underscore our belief in multilateral cooperation to collectively address shared challenges. We note with distress the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world.
4. We affirm our unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations and its principle of peaceful settlement of disputes and in this regard, we condemn all attacks against civilians and infrastructure.
5. We further reaffirm that in line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state and that states should develop friendly relations among nations, including by promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
6. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
7. We concur that, guided by the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety, we will work for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ukraine, as well as ending other conflicts and wars around the globe. Only with peace will we achieve sustainability and prosperity.

Women’s Empowerment And Gender Equality

A strong passage in the declaration reaffirmed the G20’s commitment to the empowerment of women and girls. It calls for the removal of social and economic barriers to gender equality and encourages women‑led development. The leaders also condemned all forms of discrimination against women, pledged to end gender‑based violence and reaffirmed the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, recognising women as agents of peace.

The declaration explained the importance of strengthening disaster resilience, building on work begun under India’s G20 presidency. It outlined the need for investment in sustainable resilience, pre‑arranged financing mechanisms and the use of tools such as parametric insurance and catastrophe bonds. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is specifically mentioned as a key initiative in this area.

Food Security And Nutrition

On food security, the leaders reaffirmed the Deccan High‑Level Principles (DHLP), noting that up to 720 million people still faced hunger in 2024 and that 2.6 billion could not afford healthy diets. They stressed the right to be free from hunger and called for political will to expand access to safe, nutritious food, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2.

Health, Climate Finance and Sustainable Development

The declaration recognised the role of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the need for adequate, predictable financing for health systems, including traditional and complementary medicine. It also recorded a big step forward on climate finance, calling for global investment to rise from billions to trillions of dollars to meet the Paris Agreement goals. The leaders noted that climate measures must not become a barrier to international trade and stressed the importance of sustainable production and consumption patterns, as well as the Lifestyle for Sustainable Development (LiFE) initiative.

The experts described the Johannesburg declaration, a demonstration of how India’s G20 presidency has helped shape a global agenda that balances security, technology, gender equality, disaster preparedness, food security, health and climate action.

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