An Africa Expert Panel, chaired by former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, has been established by South Africa's Presidency of the G20 from the beginning of December in an effort to raise initiatives to tackle the unprecedented debt crisis among many African countries.

South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency from December 2024 until the end of November 2025.

The G20 comprises 19 of the world's most systemically important countries and includes the African Union and European Union.

The Presidency means that the G20 meetings, such as the G20 Finance Minister and Reserve Bank Governor meetings held in Cape Town last month, are being held on African soil for the first time and provide an opportunity for South Africa to focus the G20 on issues pertinent to Africa.

The government said Wednesday in a statement that this year African countries will pay close to $89 billion in external debt service alone, with 20 low-income countries at risk of debt distress.

More than half of Africa's 1.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on social issues such as health, education, and infrastructure.

"This level of debt is unsustainable and undermines efforts towards sustainable development and poverty alleviation. There is a need for bold and urgent action on a comprehensive plan to deal with high levels of debt in Africa and other developing countries," the statement said.

The overall strategy of the panel will be to offer strategic advice by exploring and defining strategies that advance Africa's collective interests through increased voice, effective representation, and the achievement of a reformed and all-inclusive global economic policy through the G20. The Panel will produce a "High-Level Report" with its key recommendations.

Other panelists include Joel Netshitenzhe, executive director of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection; African Development Bank officer in charge of macro-economic policy, debt sustainability, and forecasting, Anthony Musonda; University of Cape Town Honorary Professor: Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance Carlos Lopes; AfriCatalyst CEO Daouda Sembene; Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa Professor in Practice and Strategic Director David Luke; SouthBridge chairman and managing partner Donald Kaberuka; Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Ester Duffo; World Bank director of the School of Economics François Bourguignon; UN Commission for Africa chief economist Hanan Morsy; Development Reimagine CEO Hannah Ryder; Stellenbosch University Bureau of Economic Research Professor and director Johann Kirsten; African Development Bank professor and chief economist, Kevin Urama; Kuben Naidoo from Investec; Centre for Global Development President Masood Ahmed; University of Cape Town Poverty and Inequality research chairman Murray Leibrandt; Oxford Blavatnik School dean Ngaire Woods; Kenya Reserve Bank former governor Patrick Njoroge; University of Cape Town professor Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance Alan Hirsch; mPedigree President Bright Simons; University of Johannesburg professor of economics Fiona Tragenna; Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies Neva Makgetla; and ODI deputy chief executive and MD Hans Peter Lankes.

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