{"id":111503,"date":"2026-01-17T08:01:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T08:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=111503"},"modified":"2026-01-17T08:01:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T08:01:40","slug":"south-africa-to-showcase-g20-legacy-and-investment-ready-economy-at-world-economic-forum-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=111503","title":{"rendered":"South Africa to showcase G20 legacy and investment-ready economy at World Economic Forum 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Africa is expected to lead a delegation to Davos next week, carrying significant momentum from recent milestones that strengthen the country\u2019s global standing.<\/p>\n

Fresh from hosting a historic G20 Summit on African soil \u2013 and supported by a credit rating upgrade, removal from the FATF greylist, South Africa is heading to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting with a clear message: the country is bold by nature, focused on delivery, and ready for global partnerships.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are coming to Davos to demonstrate tangible progress,\u201d says Mr Neville Matjie, CEO of Brand South Africa. \u201cThe reforms are real. The progress is measurable. And the opportunities are substantial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Led by Minister of Finance Mr Enoch Godongwana, this year\u2019s delegation brings together senior leadership across government, state institutions, and the private sector. <\/p>\n

It includes Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Mr Parks Tau, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr Ronald Lamola, Minister of Electricity Mr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Small Business Development Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni, and the SAT Minister.<\/p>\n

Partners include South African Tourism, First Rand Group, Rand Merchant Bank, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Naspers-Prosus, Old Mutual, Telkom, South African Breweries, the Industrial Development Corporation, Eskom, Transnet, and the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, supported by ABSA, and Anglo American. Together, they reflect a coordinated national effort to advance South Africa\u2019s reform agenda, investment priorities, and global economic positioning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe strength of Team SA lies in its unity,\u201d says Ms Ipeleng Selele, Chairperson of Brand South Africa. \u201cWe are representing a country making solid progress across multiple fronts \u2013 and we\u2019re doing it together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The narrative South Africa takes to Davos is grounded in evidence. In November 2025, Standard & Poor\u2019s delivered the country\u2019s first sovereign credit rating upgrade in nearly two decades. Weeks earlier, South Africa was removed from the Financial Action Task Force greylist following the implementation of a comprehensive 22-item reform programme. <\/p>\n

This progress was reinforced on 9 January 2026, when the European Union published its decision to remove South Africa from its list of high-risk third country jurisdictions, effective 29 January 2026. The move reduces regulatory friction for transactions with EU financial institutions and signals growing international confidence in South Africa\u2019s regulatory and financial governance framework.<\/p>\n

The energy sector has delivered over 300 consecutive days without load shedding, and according to Group CEO, Dan Marokane, Eskom entered 2026 with an additional 4400MW of available generation capacity compared to the same period last year, underpinned by a marked improvement in the performance of its power stations.<\/p>\n

Operation Vulindlela \u2013 the structural reform programme jointly led by the Presidency and National Treasury \u2013 continues to unlock bottlenecks across the economy. A pipeline of 220 GW of private-sector renewable energy projects is in development, with 72 GW in advanced stages. <\/p>\n

Eleven private Train Operating Companies were selected to add 20 million tonnes of freight capacity annually from 2026\/27. Digital reforms have reduced data costs by 51%, while visa reforms cleared a 306,000-application backlog.<\/p>\n

South Africa\u2019s G20 Presidency has added further momentum to these efforts. The Leaders\u2019 Declaration, rooted in the philosophy of Ubuntu \u2013 secured the African Union\u2019s permanent seat and adopted the G20 Critical Minerals Framework, positioning South Africa at the heart of global conversations about energy transition and industrial supply chains.<\/p>\n

Under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), South Africa exported R571 billion worth of goods to the balance of the continent in 2024. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange remains Africa\u2019s largest and most liquid capital market.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you invest in South Africa, you\u2019re not just investing in one country,\u201d notes Mr Matjie. \u201cYou\u2019re investing in a platform \u2013 for Africa, and increasingly, for the Global South.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team SA will operate from the South Africa House \u2013 a 225 square metre flagship space on Davos\u2019 49 Promenade \u2013 home to Team South Africa\u2019s official programme from 19 to 23 January 2026. The delegation will participate in panel discussions covering energy transition, capital mobilisation, critical minerals, logistics reform, and digital innovation.<\/p>\n

The signature event, SA Night brings together business leaders, investors, diplomats, and media to showcase South African hospitality, culture, and opportunity will be hosted on Tuesday 20 January. For the first time, South African Tourism is on board to host a \u201cSouth Africa Awaits Come Find Your Joy\u201d event, a wine and golf sector experience to give international audiences a taste of South Africa. \u201cDavos is where reputations are built and narratives are reinforced,\u201d says Ms Selele. \u201cThis year, we\u2019re showcasing South Africa\u2019s boldness, substance, resilience, and opportunity. We\u2019re ready to engage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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