Johannesburg: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on G20 countries to assume greater responsibility in building a more inclusive global economy, stressing the need to ‘leave no one behind.’ Speaking at the opening session of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, Erdogan emphasized that reviving global trade requires deeper international cooperation, new policy tools, and sustainable supply chains.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Erdogan pointed to the United Nations’ 2025 Debt Report, which shows that interest payments in countries home to 3.4 billion people have surpassed spending on health and education. He affirmed Turkey’s support for a fair and equitable approach to debt restructuring, especially for low-income countries.

Erdogan noted that the goal of ‘leaving no one behind’ remains distant, as one in every ten people worldwide still lives in extreme poverty. He added that global development assistance declined by 9% in 2024 and is expected to drop by up to 17% in 2025, warning that this would mean major losses for Africa.

He stated that Turkey increased its official development assistance from $6.8 billion in 2023 to $7.4 billion in 2024, but stressed that such contributions alone are insufficient. He underscored the importance of developing sustainable development financing models, particularly for least-developed countries, through mobilizing local resources.

Erdogan highlighted that global trade has lost momentum compared to the pre-financial crisis era, dropping from an average annual growth of 7% between 1987 and 2007 to just 3% between 2008 and 2014, weakening its contribution to global growth.

He welcomed progress in debt restructuring for Ghana and Ethiopia, and reaffirmed the need to strengthen international trade rules to support development. The G20, established in 1999, is one of the world’s leading economic forums, representing 60% of the global population and about 85% of the world economy.