Overview

• Finance chiefs endorsed the communique’s emphasis on central bank independence and called for comprehensive reform of the World Trade Organisation to strengthen multilateral trade rules.
• The statement pledged to tackle debt vulnerabilities in low- and middle-income countries by reinforcing the G20 Common Framework and urging greater creditor transparency.
• Delegates recognized economic threats from conflicts, trade tensions, supply chain disruptions and extreme weather events but did not explicitly address climate change.
• The communique omitted any mention of tariffs, reflecting both sensitivity to U.S. trade policies and the absence of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior ministers.
• South Africa’s presidency views the agreement as a boost to the forum’s relevance before the United States assumes leadership and narrows the G20’s focus to core financial tracks.