President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa met with António Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, on November 20, 2025, during the G20 Summit. This meeting followed a series of previous engagements between these leaders at various international forums such as the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the EU’s Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, and the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The discussions focused on reviewing progress made since the 8th EU-South Africa Summit held in March 2025 in Cape Town. The leaders addressed ongoing global challenges to multilateralism and discussed current conflicts including those in Sudan, Ukraine, and the occupied Palestinian Territories. They reaffirmed their commitment from March to seek “a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in Ukraine and in the occupied Palestinian Territories.” The importance of multilateralism and adherence to the United Nations Charter was also emphasized. Leaders referenced support for updating global financial systems for sustainable development following recent international conferences.
A significant outcome from this meeting was recognition of two agreements: the EU-South Africa Clean Trade and Investment Partnership (CTIP) and a Memorandum of Understanding for a Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Minerals and Metals Value Chains. The CTIP aims to create new trade opportunities while supporting decarbonisation goals tailored to both parties’ priorities. The minerals partnership seeks to promote value addition near extraction sites and enhance economic integration between South Africa and the EU.
In energy cooperation, both sides launched an Energy Dialogue in September 2025 that will be elevated to Ministerial level next year. This platform is intended to deepen collaboration on transmission infrastructure, clean technologies, just transition initiatives, and future exports of electro Sustainable Aviation Fuel (e-SAF) from South Africa to Europe.
Trade issues were also discussed. Both parties agreed to facilitate bilateral trade in animals, plants, poultry products—addressing regionalisation—and further assess market access applications as a priority. South Africa updated its progress on various EU market requests while the EU indicated readiness to advance listing South Africa as eligible for certain exports such as shelf-stable composite products.
Another agreement included facilitating bilateral cumulation of batteries through a temporary derogation under provisions of the EU–SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This move is designed to encourage battery manufacturing both within Europe and South Africa while enabling exports of electric vehicles under preferential terms.
The European Union announced five projects within its Team Europe Global Gateway Investment Package for South Africa totaling nearly EUR 12 billion—introduced at an event in Brussels earlier this year—including blended finance facilities focused on green hydrogen production; minerals; metals for e-batteries; an EIB loan supporting decarbonisation efforts by Transnet; and funding via EIB’s Human Development Accelerator initiative aimed at boosting vaccine manufacturing capacity within South Africa.
Both sides acknowledged implementing partners such as Development Bank of Southern Africa; Industrial Development Cooperation; Transnet; Biovac; EIB; German Development Bank (KfW); and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Negotiations continue regarding a Horizontal Aviation Agreement alongside commitments toward enhanced maritime security through frameworks like the Djibouti Code of Conduct. Environmental cooperation remains active with high-level talks particularly concerning water sector issues.
On security matters, both sides noted steps toward establishing a dedicated dialogue covering terrorism prevention measures, cybersecurity strategies, maritime security enhancements, mediation efforts—and highlighted that addressing root causes is key for long-term peace.
Leaders concluded by committing “to redouble efforts to address outstanding issues” with shared prosperity based on equality principles as their goal. The European Union expressed anticipation about hosting another summit with South Africa at a future date yet to be determined.
