This call gains significant momentum as South Africa holds the G20 Presidency until November 2025, a momentous responsibility that places Africa’s development agenda firmly at the forefront of global discussions. Adding to this historic opportunity is the African Union’s (AU) recent full membership in the G20, a landmark achievement that provides a collective and authoritative voice for the continent at the highest levels of global economic governance. This dual leverage offers an unprecedented platform to shape global policies that genuinely support Africa’s green growth trajectory.

A powerful joint input paper, aptly titled Improving Green Competitiveness for Inclusive Transformation, underscores this very point. Crafted by the African Future Policies Hub, the Leadership Group for Industry Transition and the World Resources Institute, the paper argues that green growth is not a trade-off with development but rather an indispensable catalyst for it. By strategically investing in sustainable industries, embracing clean technologies and fostering resource-efficient practices, Africa can leapfrog traditional carbon-intensive development pathways and emerge as a leader in the green economy.

The continent’s internal integration efforts, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), serve as a powerful enabler for this green transformation. The AfCFTA, with its potential to create a single continental market for goods and services, offers an unparalleled platform to scale up green industrial initiatives across the continent, fostering regional value chains in sustainable sectors. It can harmonise standards and regulations across member states, reducing trade barriers for green products and services and creating larger, more attractive markets for green investments.

The core message is clear: green competitiveness in Africa must be intentionally cultivated through inclusive and demand-driven policies. These policies must be deeply rooted in the continent’s diverse regional priorities, acknowledging the unique contexts and opportunities present in different African nations. However, Africa cannot walk this path alone. The policy experts emphasise the crucial role of global partnerships built on mutual benefit, with the G20 being central to this collaborative effort.

The call to action is direct and pragmatic: the world’s leading economies must actively facilitate Africa’s green transition through concrete actions, strategically leveraging the AfCFTA and promoting PPPs. South Africa’s G20 Presidency theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” with a strong focus on Africa’s development, perfectly aligns with these ambitions. Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield, has specifically highlighted “green industrialisation” as one of the four priority areas for South Africa’s G20 Trade and Investment Working Group.

Key recommendations for the G20 include reforming investment incentives to favour green technologies, encouraging regional pilots within the AfCFTA framework, and ensuring policy coherence across trade, climate and industrial development agendas. Public-private partnerships (PPP) are highlighted as instrumental in attracting the necessary investment by de-risking projects and combining the strengths of both the public and private sectors.

The opportunity is immense. A thriving green industrial sector in Africa, amplified by the AfCFTA and driven by effective PPPs, can generate millions of decent jobs, enhance resource security, improve public health and contribute to global climate goals. With South Africa hosting the G20 and the AU now a full member, Africa has an unprecedented platform to articulate its needs and shape global policy. By aligning global trade and investment frameworks with Africa’s green ambitions, strategically leveraging the AfCFTA, and actively promoting PPPs, the G20 can unlock this potential, fostering a more sustainable and prosperous future for both Africa and the world. The time for decisive action is now, to usher in Africa’s green industrial dawn, powered by continental integration and collaborative partnerships.