South Africa will host a Special World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit in 2027.
This is according to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola in his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland last week. The Ministerial delegation consisted of Minister Lamola; Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau; Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni; Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa; and the Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille.
Lamola said South Africa is the African continent’s most industrialised economy and a key voice of the Global South and as such it is uniquely positioned to convene global leaders to advance collective solutions to pressing global challenges.
South Africa’s delegation to the 2026 WEF meeting held successful meetings with global investors, potential investors and business partners. Led by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, the meetings gave Team South Africa a valuable platform to highlight the country’s recent progress in implementing the reforms needed to unlock growth and generate much needed employment.
Minister Godongwana said on Friday that last year, in 2025, in Davos, SA presented its ambitious plan for driving economic reforms, building investor confidence and mobilising private investment. “We returned this year with concrete evidence of our progress. We returned not with promises, but with real successes.”
In engagements with potential investors and business partners, the delegation highlighted the positive impacts of South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and an upgrade of its sovereign credit rating by rating agency S&P Global . Also highlighted were the structural reforms driven by Operation Vulindlela that stabilised electricity supply, improved port and freight rail operations and lifted investment in infrastructure.
Godongwana emphasised that government would deliver on its commitment to stabilise debt in the current fiscal year, He also said this signalled its commitment to the macroeconomic stability and consistent policy execution needed to create an environment for higher local and global investment,. He also noted that the recent lowering of the inflation target would contribute to reducing costs across the economy and providing policy and price certainty for investors.
The WEF hosted a press conference at which Team South Africa reported on its 2025 G20 Presidency that culminated in a historic G20 Leaders’ Declaration. “Our G20 Presidency offered an increasingly rare opportunity for economic cooperation and dialogue to rise above narrow self-interest, geopolitical rivalry and brinkmanship.
“We will continue to act as a credible mediator on key issues of debt relief, climate and infrastructure finance, global tax rules and the reform of multilateral institutions,” Godongwana added.
Visit our sister publication, Kouga Chronicle, at: kougachronicle.co.za for localised stories and photos.
St Francis Chronicle 