The University of South Africa (Unisa) made history on 25 April 2025 by hosting the launch of the Academia-Public-Private-Diplomatic Corps Forum at the G20 Africa Investment Summit (AIS), a first-of-its-kind initiative to unite universities, governments, businesses, and diplomats in advancing Africa’s economic transformation.
Themed “The Road to G20 Through Research, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Intelligent Age”, the event brought together G20 delegates, government officials, business leaders, academics, diplomats, and traditional leaders to forge actionable strategies for Africa’s sustainable development.
The forum, an outcome of a high-level G20 AIS panel, seeks to bridge the gap between universities, businesses, and governments to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.
As a platform for sustainable growth, the G20 AIS prioritises infrastructure development, industrialization, and beneficiation of Africa’s mineral resources to retain value within the continent.
In her opening address, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula highlighted the university’s global footprint across 130 countries as a testament to education as a diplomatic force.
She emphasised that diplomacy at Unisa is a lived experience, ensuring education becomes a rallying point for global collaboration.
Noting Africa’s paradox of abundant resources juxtaposed with systemic poverty, LenkaBula stressed the urgency of leveraging intellectual capital to align investments with developmental goals.
“Although the continent is rich in potential, mineral resources, and youthful dividend, Africa has contradictory systems where the majority still live in poverty, and education and diplomacy are sometimes neglected.
However, we appreciate that our government has become the anchor to rally our society, as it does our continent and the global arena, through hosting, for the first time in Africa, the G20 Summit later this year.”
“As universities, think-tanks and science councils,” she continued, “we realise that the voices of the academy must be embodied and embraced, and that they must influence negotiations that will be undertaken when heads of state meet in Johannesburg during November 2025.” said Lenkabula.
Partnerships as the new currency
Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa, Unisa’s Vice-Principal for Research and Innovation, declared partnerships “the new currency” for progress. Meyiwa said that the forum is not only about the G20 as “it underscores the Africa that we want, and that the higher education sector has entrusted to Unisa the launch of this forum”.
Meyiwa urged the audience to rebuild anew the Pan African ecosystem of transformation, self-determination, and self-reliance, adding “This forum seeks to strengthen and align our African Union agendas; therefore, we should stand firm as we look upon ourselves as Africans for our own sustainability”.
Government and Private Sector Backing
North West Province MEC for Economic Development, Bitsa Lenkopane, hailed the forum as a catalyst for practical solutions to Africa’s socio-economic challenges, adding that the launch is an important milestone, especially as South Africa prepares to host the historical G20 Summit later in 2025.
“It gives us credence as a potential player among the multilateral institutions and in global diplomacy,” said Lenkopane.
Messages of support came from Khoisan Kingdom Prime Minister Sibusiso Matyeke, Lesotho’s Moleboheng Mokobocho, and entrepreneur Sindi Zilwa, amongst others, emphasising continental solidarity. Professor Kerstin Jordaan of Unisa’s College of Economic and Management Sciences reinforced the role of academia in driving policy-aligned innovation.
Closing the summit, Professor Les Labuschagne, Unisa’s Executive Director of Research, stressed collective action, stating that the partnership marks a key milestone in securing Africa’s rightful place in the global space.
“All sectors of the university have to work together in order to make this forum go forward in fulfilling its mandate, and produce tangible progress in areas of mutual interest and strategic importance.” said Prof Labuschagne.
Facilitated by Dr Sindiswa Mzamo, the summit’s success positioned Unisa, backed by the Department of Higher Education, to drive job creation, entrepreneurship, and intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
