Post- G20: Advancing South Africa’s Social Solidarity Economy for Inclusive Lead

As South Africa’s G20 Presidency concludes, the momentum for inclusive economy frameworks must translate into concrete action. This dialogue examines how South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy can lead Africa’s contribution to global inclusive growth—moving from international commitments to domestic implementation.
The SSE represents a proven model where solidarity-based enterprises address inequality, create employment, and build social cohesion through community-rooted economic activity. Yet realizing this potential requires an enabling ecosystem: helpful environments that recognize and support diverse organizational forms, access to appropriate resources and financing, and comprehensive support services tailored to local realities.
Through voices from disability inclusion, LGBTQI+ economic participation, township innovation, and participatory measurement, this session demonstrates what SSE implementation looks like in practice—and what policy, financing, and ecosystem actors must prioritize to scale impact. Speakers illustrate how organizations navigate formal and informal systems, leverage local knowledge and networks, and create inclusive economies that work for all, with all.
This roundtable discussion positions South Africa’s SSE development as both a domestic imperative and a model for G20 nations translating social inclusion rhetoric into implementable frameworks.