Activities of Secretary-General in South Africa, 11-12 December

The Secretary-General arrived in South Africa from New York on Wednesday, 11 December.  In Johannesburg, he attended a meeting of the G20 [Group of 20] sherpas and finance deputies.  He delivered remarks before heading to Pretoria.

He said that we need the G20 to lead on delivering climate justice.  Many vulnerable countries are being forced to respond to a crisis they did nothing to create, and he added that “as the world’s top emitters, G20 countries must lead the way in line with the principle of common-but-differentiated responsibilities.  But recognizing that every G20 country have to do more in the reduction of emissions.”  (See Press Release SG/SM/22493.)

In Pretoria, he had a bilateral meeting with Ronald Lamola, Minister for International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.  Afterwards, he held a press encounter with the Minister.

He said that he was in South Africa on a mission of solidarity — and a mission for justice.  “And I am here at a critical time as South Africa assumes the presidency of the G20.”  He also touched upon the situation in the Middle East.  He said that “as we speak, we are witnessing the reshaping of the Middle East, with the changes in the correlation of forces among the key regional actors, with the immense tragedy of the Palestinian people whose right for self-determination — whose rights to have their own State — must be constantly reaffirmed.  But we also see some signs of hope, and signs of hope mainly coming from the end of the Syrian dictatorship.”

Following that, he went to the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.  He had a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Amongst other topics, they discussed issues pertaining to the priorities of South Africa’s presidency of the G20.

In the afternoon, the Secretary-General had an interview with SABC TV at his hotel in Pretoria.  Following that, he met with the UN country team.

On Thursday morning, 12 December, the Secretary-General flew from South Africa to Lesotho.