Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan landed in Johannesburg on Friday evening to participate in the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit, which South Africa is hosting for the first time on 22–23 November 2025 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.”

The Turkish leader was received at OR Tambo International Airport by South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements, Thembisile Simelane, as well as Türkiye’s Ambassador to Pretoria, Kezban Nilvana Darama Yıldırımgeç, and senior diplomatic staff.

The President is accompanied by First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, reflecting Ankara’s intention to engage in both diplomatic and economic tracks during the summit.

Key items on President Erdoğan’s agenda at the G20 Summit include a series of bilateral meetings alongside the official sessions, with confirmed or expected talks covering a broad diplomatic and economic spectrum.

Erdoğan is set to meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss expanding bilateral trade—which currently stands at approximately $3 billion annually—and to explore new opportunities for Turkish investment in South Africa’s mining, construction, and renewable energy sectors. He is also expected to hold discussions with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva within the framework of the Türkiye–Brazil strategic partnership, particularly significant as Brazil prepares to take over the G20 presidency in 2026.

Additional meetings are planned with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to advance cooperation in the defense industry and infrastructure development.

This year’s summit is also marked by an unprecedented development: the absence of three of the world’s most influential leaders—US President Donald Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and China’s Xi Jinping. Xi offered no public explanation for his withdrawal, while Putin continues to face the risk of arrest abroad due to the International Criminal Court warrant issued over the Ukraine conflict, leading him to avoid in-person participation since 2019. In a striking contrast to China and Russia, the United States is not sending any delegation to South Africa at all.

Türkiye, a regular G20 guest since 2008 and permanent guest under South Africa’s 2025 presidency alongside the African Union, is pushing for greater representation of developing nations and reform of international financial institutions during the summit.

On the eve of the leaders’ sessions, Minister Hakan Fidan already held talks with his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola, signing a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations and agreeing to elevate the Türkiye–South Africa Joint Economic Commission meeting to ministerial level in early 2026.

Erdoğan is also expected to address the G20 session on global economic governance and sustainable development, where he is likely to reiterate Türkiye’s call for fairer distribution of IMF special drawing rights and increased climate financing for middle-income and African countries.

The Turkish delegation will depart Johannesburg late on 23 November after the adoption of the Leaders’ Declaration and a closing press conference by President Ramaphosa. (ILKHA)