By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa has been named to host a special World Economic Forum (WEF) Spring Summit in April 2027 after a 7-year absence caused due to COVID-19.
The meeting will be held either in Johannesburg or Cape Town, according to Chido Munyati, head of Africa at the WEF.
The revival of the Africa summit comes at a critical moment for the continent as governments and businesses navigate post-pandemic recovery, persistent debt pressures, currency volatility and slower global growth, alongside opportunities linked to energy transition, digitalisation and regional trade integration.
The last WEF Africa meeting took place in Cape Town from September 4 to 6, 2019, months before the outbreak of the pandemic forced the cancellation of large-scale international gatherings and disrupted the Forum’s regional programmes.
Since then, Africa-focused discussions have largely been folded into the WEF’s annual Davos meeting and other global platforms, limiting a dedicated space for in-depth engagement on the continent’s specific challenges and opportunities.
WEF Africa meetings traditionally bring together African heads of state, senior policymakers, global and regional business leaders, investors, development finance institutions and civil society actors.
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana, Trade Industry Parks Tau, Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola and Minister of Tourism Patricia De Lille addressed the media in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday at a World Economic Forum (WEF) media conference.
The briefing focused on South Africa’s 2025 G20 Presidency, following the decision by US president Donald Trump in November last year to bar the country from the 2026 summit.
Godongwana said South Africa’s exclusion from this year’s G20 summit, to be hosted by the US, is a “temporary setback”.
He said he expects the UK, which will host the meetings in 2027, to include South Africa in the G20 again.
The successful hosting of G20 meetings has demonstrated the country’s capacity to manage large-scale international gatherings, an area that falls under the MICE sector (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), which is part of tourism.
De Lille said South Africa’s presence at Davos was driven by a deliberate decision to reposition tourism as a core economic growth engine rather than a peripheral industry.
“We came to Davos with a clear message that tourism is not a side issue,” De Lille said. “It is undervalued and underrated, yet it is part of the inclusion of economic growth solution.”
Over the past decade, South Africa’s economic growth has remained stubbornly low, averaging around 1.5% and at times falling below 1%.
Tau said, as South Africa, we have come to Davos with a clear message: we have turned a corner and our economic reforms are taking root.
“This message is amplified by the carefully curated project Pipeline with R700 billion which we are taking to investors.”
Lamola reiterated his stance on multilateralism amid unilateral decision making and geo-political tensions, in line with WEF’s theme.
He highlighted South Africa’s diverse economic engagements spanning Southeast Asia, China, the European Union, and the African continent through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “South Africa is open for business.”
South Africa’s narrative at Davos is one of optimism and renewal. Having overcome significant logistical hurdles, the country now boasts efficient harbors and functioning supply chains.
Moreover, it has recently hosted a successful G20 summit, reinforcing its commitment to anchoring global discourse around the needs and prospects of the Global South and the African continent.
As world leaders converge at Davos, South Africa’s narrative of renewal, openness, and cooperation resounds with a call for collective action and reform, aiming to reshape the global economic and political landscape for an equitable future.