Values20 South Africa is mounting an ambitious campaign this year to embed ubuntu and other key values into the G20’s policy framework, as the continent prepares to host the global economic forum for only the second time. Once again, World Values Day has played its part in shaping the V20 campaign.
V20 will present its policy recommendations at its Summit in Cape Town on 16-17 October 2025, (timed to coincide with World Values Day) bringing together global business leaders, policymakers, and social activists ahead of the main G20 Leaders’ Summit later this year. The V20 Summit will be held both in person and online, and you can register for the Summit here.
Dr Preeya Daya, chair of V20 South Africa, has outlined five core aspirational values that the group believes should underpin international cooperation: dignity, ubuntu, agency and accountability, integrity and ethical governance, all anchored by values-based leadership. These principles, she argues, provide both “a moral compass for our society and a practical framework for action”.
The initiative represents a significant departure from traditional economic-focused G20 engagement, instead advocating for what Dr Daya describes as an African values lens in global discourse. South Africa has adopted the overarching G20 theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, and V20 South Africa positions its work as enabling these broader objectives through conscious value integration.
Professor Bonang Mohale, V20 South Africa’s sherpa and Chancellor of the University of the Free State, leads a distinguished advisory council that includes former business leaders, academics, and religious figures. This network provides what organisers describe as credibility and influence within South African and international policy circles.
World Values Day’s involvement this year
World Values Day has been involved as during this process as a V20 Knowledge Partner, building on a collaboration that began with V20’s 2020 launch under Saudi Arabia’s presidency.
World Values Day’s contribution will be evident in the V20 Summit’s healthcare stream, with a dedicated one-hour panel discussion Values in Health on 17th October from 1pm to 2.30 pm BST (UTC/GMT+1) featuring Dr Bettina Buabeng Baidoo and other healthcare thought-leaders addressing how values can transform healthcare delivery globally, and in particular in the Global South. To attend this session either physically or online you will need to register for the Summit.
This contribution arises from a collaborative initiative called the Movement for Equitable and Sustainable Healthcare (MESH), led by Dr Bettina Buabeng Baidoo and her International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening (IWG), and including World Values Day, Katrina Ramage of Tarakin Global and Dr Prabodh Mistry and EHV Engineering.
This groundbreaking initiative, developed over several years of collaboration between WVD and the IWG, has become the cornerstone of V20 South Africa’s healthcare policy recommendations. MESH’s influence extends beyond theoretical frameworks, providing practical case studies and evidence-based approaches that will directly inform the G20 communique on healthcare values integration.
MESH’s significance will be showcased through a preparatory webinar on 8th October titled “Embedding Values to Improve Quality of Care: A Global Dialogue” from 1pm to 2.30 pm BST (UTC/GMT+1). This event will present the crucial case studies that have shaped the healthcare chapters of the V20 communique, featuring Dr Buabeng Baidoo and key stakeholders who have contributed to this values-based approach to healthcare reform. Registration for the webinar is available here.
Long term goals for V20 South Africa
V20 South Africa’s strategy extends well beyond the 2025 presidency. The organisation has mapped out a four-year trajectory: creating values awareness in 2025, fostering collective responsibility in 2026, embedding values into policies and institutions in 2027, and achieving sustainable institutionalisation by 2028.
Central to this long-term vision is the development of a National Values Charter, designed in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Centre for Social Justice. This charter aims to anchor values within South African legislation and civic life, potentially serving as a model for other nations.
V20’s research teams are developing innovative measurement tools, including a “VCorp Scorecard” to assess how effectively organisations integrate values, and an “Aspirational Values Scorecard” to track progress from low values awareness to high values consciousness.
The Values20 approach reflects broader shifts in international relations, where soft power and ethical leadership increasingly complement traditional economic and military influence. As South Africa seeks to leverage its G20 presidency to advance African interests globally, the values agenda represents both a philosophical statement and a practical diplomatic tool.
The October summit will serve as a crucial test of whether V20 South Africa can translate its extensive advocacy work into concrete policy commitments from G20 leaders. Success could establish a precedent for future presidencies to maintain values-based frameworks alongside traditional economic cooperation mechanisms.
With global challenges from climate change to inequality demanding collaborative responses, V20 South Africa argues that sustainable solutions require not just policy coordination but shared ethical foundations. Whether the world’s major economies embrace this African-led vision remains to be seen.
Please register for the V20 Summit here , whether you want to attend it in person or online.
