South Africa recently hosted the official launch of Removing International Obstacles to Sustainable Industrial Policy, a landmark G20 Report co-hosted by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).

At a moment when countries are grappling with climate shocks, widening inequality, and unstable global supply chains, the message from the launch was clear: sustainable industrial policy is no longer optional; it is essential. The report offers concrete proposals to dismantle the international constraints that prevent countries, particularly in the Global South, from pursuing inclusive, resilient, and low-carbon development pathways.

This event marked an important contribution to South Africa’s G20 Presidency, reinforcing the call for a global economic system that places people and the planet at its centre.

Read the press statement. 

On 19 November, partners from the Institute for Economic Justice, the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the New Economics Foundation, Transforma-UNICAMP, and the Institute for Policy Studies hosted a dedicated session at the G20 Social Summit in Johannesburg to launch The G20 at a Crossroads: Lessons for an Equitable Global Economic Future.

Held at the Birchwood Hotel, the dialogue brought together researchers, policymakers, and civil society to reflect on the G20’s two-decade record and to explore what must change to build a global economy rooted in equity and shared prosperity. Contributors from the IEJ, including Neil and other staff, joined the discussion, supported by factsheets and policy briefs developed for the launch.

Read the full report: https://iej.org.za/the-g20-at-a-crossroads/

Partners from Oxfam South Africa, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung South Africa, the Institute for Economic Justice, ICRICT, and AIDC hosted a high-level dialogue on taxation and global inequality as a side event to the G20 Social Summit at the Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg.

The session brought together leading voices to unpack the recommendations of the G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Inequality and to consider what these proposals mean for building a fairer global tax system.

The discussion aligned closely with South Africa’s G20 Presidency theme of solidarity, equality, and sustainability, highlighting the need for global tax rules that work for people and support shared prosperity.

Event details
Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg
9:00 – 11:00
Co-organised by Oxfam SA, FES SA, IEJ, ICRICT, and AIDC