Just days before world leaders gather for the 2025 G20 Summit, the City of Johannesburg will host the first Global South Media and Think-Tank Forum – China-Africa Partnership Conference, from Nov. 12 to Nov. 14 in Houghton.
This first-of-its-kind forum on African soil aims to highlight the strengthening ties between China and Africa, providing the Global South with a stronger voice in shaping governance systems.
The theme of the 2025 forum is ”Reforming Global Governance: New Roles and Visions for China-Africa Cooperation”.
According to the organisers, Global South Media and the Think-Tank Forum, the theme reflects the increasing importance of the China-Africa partnership amid evolving global power dynamics.
Speaking to News Network Africa (NNA) TV Plus, Sello Lentsoane, Head of Platforms and Strategy, described the conference as a timely response to the world’s evolving geopolitical landscape, which is taking place amid renewed momentum for cooperation among developing nations.
He added that, over the past decade, “the concept of the Global South has evolved from a broad geopolitical term into a coordinated effort to reform global financial, political, and media systems that many believe have historically favoured the Global North.”
Lentsoane explained that the conference represents a significant opportunity for Africa to move beyond bilateral cooperation and assert its influence within multilateral platforms.
”The conference symbolises a changing global narrative, in which African countries are not only beneficiaries of development but also active architects of new economic and governance models,” he said.
(Photo Credit: South African Institute of International Affairs)
Currently, Africa is China’s largest trading partner, with trade between the two regions reaching an estimated 282 billion dollars in 2023, according to Chinese customs data and an independent research agency.
In addition to trade, Beijing has played a role in financing infrastructure, digital connectivity, and education projects across the continent.
The Johannesburg conference will focus on reforming international institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and United Nations.
“I think the timing of the conference is strategic, positioning Africa and China at the centre of global debates on economic reform, climate commitments, and development finance ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit,” Lentsoane added.
Delegates, including academics, policymakers, and media practitioners from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, are expected to convene at this private international conference at the Houghton Hotel in the eastern part of Johannesburg.
They will discuss the evolving relationship between China and Africa and its implications for the wider Global South.
(Photo Credit: NNA News)
One of the keynote speakers, Prof. Pumela Msweli, a leading figure in African business education and the CEO and Executive Dean of the Graduate School of Business Leadership at the University of South Africa (UNISA), will address the conference on the need for Africa to take a more active role in shaping global systems.
In an interview with NNA TV Plus, Msweli said, “Africa’s participation in global governance must evolve from mere inclusion to genuine influence, where the continent’s ideas and leadership philosophies actively shape global systems rather than merely adapting to them.
“The reform of global governance is no longer an abstract concept; it is a necessity for the African continent. It must begin with building institutions that reflect our realities and partnerships that respect our sovereignty.”
The conference will also highlight Msweli’s achievements as head of the University of South Africa’s Graduate School of Business Leadership (UNISA SBL), which received its first international accreditation from the Business Graduates Association (BGA) in August this year.
Under her leadership, according to UNISA, the school has made significant progress in the areas of entrepreneurship development, women’s leadership, and intra-African trade.(NNA/NAN)
Report by NNA/
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz
