The Faculty of Humanities, through the Centre for African Studies (CAS), recently hosted the two-day International Symposium on Global Justice and Solidarity at UCT from 23–24 June. This high-level gathering took place at a pivotal moment as South Africa prepares to assume the G20 Presidency in 2025, creating a platform to firmly position African priorities within global governance discussions.

Held under the theme “Solidarity for One Humanity, One Future,” the symposium brought together leading voices from academia, civil society, faith communities, and policy networks. The event was co-convened by the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference and UCT, in partnership with Caritas Internationalis, Yale’s Global Justice Program, Academics Stand Against Poverty, and other global organisations.  The South African government was represented by the Director General in the Presidency. There were also representatives from the African Union.

UCT’s leadership was evident throughout. Prof Horman Chitonge, representing CAS, delivered the academic welcome, underscoring the indispensable role of African scholarship in advancing frameworks of justice, inclusive policy, and global transformation. Prof Chitonge also contributed as a key panelist in a session on addressing debt justice, where he highlighted the structural and historical factors that continue to constrain African economies. His interventions emphasised the importance of African agency in driving meaningful financial reform.

The programme further explored initiatives such as the proposed Ecological Impact Fund to incentivise green innovation in the Global South, strategies to advance universal school feeding as a G20 priority by 2030, and comprehensive approaches to debt relief. The symposium concluded with the adoption of the Cape Town Declaration on Global Justice and Solidarity, which will serve as a guiding document for Africa’s engagement in upcoming G20, AU, and UN forums.

Overall, the symposium reinforced UCT’s standing as a leading African institution committed to shaping critical global discourses. By hosting and actively contributing to this event, the university helped ensure that African perspectives and scholarship are not only represented but are central to reimagining a more just and inclusive international order.