The B20 Troika, representing Brazil, South Africa, and the United States, gathered this week for a high-level panel to discuss a theme that has grown increasingly urgent: how business can bring stability, continuity, and cooperation in a world facing economic fragmentation and geopolitical uncertainty. As the official business engagement group of the G20, the B20 plays a central role in crafting recommendations that influence global economic policy. This year, South Africa’s presidency marked a turning point for the continent.
South Africa Steps Into Global Leadership
Opening the discussion, Cas Coovadia, Sherpa for B20 South Africa 2025, reflected on the significance of South Africa assuming leadership of the B20 process for the first time. He described the experience as a steep learning curve, but one that came with remarkable outcomes. As Sherpa, Coovadia’s task was to coordinate the work of eight taskforces composed of hundreds of senior business leaders across G20 countries and ensure that their proposals reached the G20 presidency.
“We didn’t know what we were in for,” he admitted. “It was the first time we were doing this. We took the view that we would learn from Brazil.”
He credited Brazilian Sherpa Constanza Negri, who led the B20 in 2024, with ensuring a seamless transition. Her early mentorship, he said, was critical not only to establishing internal processes but also to building trust within the global business community.
Brazil’s Support Helped Mobilise South African Business
Coovadia recounted a moment early in the presidency when only a handful of South African CEOs were familiar with the B20’s purpose and impact. This changed when Negri addressed a webinar of 150 CEOs, an event that triggered extraordinary enthusiasm from South African business leaders.
From that point onward, South African companies began engaging with the B20 in unprecedented numbers, taking up leadership positions in taskforces, contributing to policy research, and mobilising broader networks across the continent. Coovadia described this as a turning point, not just for South Africa, but for Africa as a whole.
“The support of South African business has been phenomenal,” he said. “The decision to put Africa at the centre of the B20 was the correct one. We have succeeded in putting the continent at the table of decision makers.”
30 Recommendations Focused on Africa and Global Growth
Under South Africa’s leadership, the B20 produced 30 actionable recommendations, each aimed at advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable global growth.
These recommendations focused on:
- accelerating the energy transition
- strengthening trade and investment flows
- boosting digital transformation
- tackling unemployment and skills shortages
- mobilising financing for development
- integrating Africa into global value chains
For South Africa, this was not merely a thematic choice but a strategic shift, ensuring that Africa’s economic priorities remain part of global conversations for years to come.
Negri noted that South Africa’s recommendations build on Brazil’s 2024 priorities while adapting to new global realities. “We cannot be naive to think the content of recommendations will always be the same,” she said. “The external context has changed, and the B20 had to stay relevant.”
She highlighted that one of the B20’s greatest strengths is its ability to foster collaboration between the private sector and governments beyond short political cycles. Unlike governments, which change leadership frequently, the private sector remains a consistent actor in the global economy.
US Businesses Step Up as Bridge Builders
The United States, set to assume the next G20 presidency in 2026, sent a strong signal about the role of business during geopolitical uncertainty. Gary Litman, incoming Sherpa for B20 USA 2026 and Senior Vice President of Global Initiatives at the US Chamber of Commerce, told delegates that American companies remain deeply engaged in global cooperation even when political dynamics shift.
With the US government absent from recent G20 deliberations, he said American businesses have stepped in to maintain international relationships that support economic stability.
“The US Chamber of Commerce has been involved in the B20 from its inception. We have forged tremendous friendships across all the business federations,” Litman explained. “Our job is to make sure that politicians in the G20 hear consistently a very clear message from the business community.”
He commended South Africa’s leadership and said that participating in the B20 forum exposed him to the sophistication and ambition of African companies. “Our conclusion is simple: South African businesses are global in their thinking and operations.”
Litman stressed that traditional labels such as global north, global south, emerging, or advanced economies no longer capture the reality of the modern global economy. “South African companies have global ambitions just like American and Brazilian companies,” he said. “We share common goals and common challenges.”
A New Understanding: Global Challenges Are Now Universal
A major theme in Coovadia’s remarks was the convergence of economic challenges across both developing and developed countries. Issues such as inequality, unemployment, and public dissatisfaction , long considered problems of the global south, have now become universal.
“What is happening in Africa is happening elsewhere,” he said. “Leaders have realised they need a global strategy to tackle these challenges.”
He argued that the recognition of Africa’s role is not symbolic but fundamentally linked to global development. Africa holds:
- vast arable land
- strategic mineral resources vital for green energy
- a rapidly growing youth population
- significant potential for digital expansion
These factors make the continent central to achieving global targets on climate, energy security, and economic growth.
“If we implement the B20’s recommendations, the impact will be significant,” Coovadia said. “The benefits will be felt on the continent, but they will also contribute to solving global challenges.”
The B20’s Growing Role as the Bridge Between Politics and Economics
Coovadia concluded by emphasizing that the global economy is increasingly shaped by political forces. The line between politics and economics, he said, is becoming blurred. This makes the role of the B20 more important than ever.
“The B20 is the only forum where business leaders from the north and south can sit together and discuss global issues,” he noted. “It allows business to work with governments to understand how political decisions affect economies and industries.”
As tensions between nations rise and global systems undergo rapid transformation, the B20 is becoming not just a business forum but a crucial channel for global cooperation.