Joint Statement on the Outcome of the Y20 Summit 2025
For the first time since its creation in 2011, the Y20 summit was unable to present a final communiqué to G20 leaders in 2025. This outcome is deeply regrettable, particularly at a moment when young people worldwide face compounding crises and urgently need political decision-makers to hear youth voices.
We want to be clear: since the start of the Y20 Summit in May 2025, all countries embraced the Summit in good spirit and respected the Y20 South Africa’s processes. The result does not reflect a lack of commitment or a lack of collaborative spirit among the Y20 delegations. All delegations invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in the lead-up to the Summit to work constructively towards a consensus. The joint work within the thematic tracks established by the Y20 Secretariat was ambitious, innovative, and forward-looking. We are united in recognising the dedication of all delegates and track chairs, many of whom negotiated tirelessly across time zones before the summit and often late into the night during the summit to find common ground.
This effort, which spanned multiple months, was overshadowed by the Y20 Secretariat’s unilateral approach. The South African Y20 Secretariat introduced its own political priority into the text three separate times over the course of the negotiations. The insertion of the permanent Y20 Council proposal was outside of the established Y20 process and was therefore rejected by the Sherpas (15 rejections, 2 in favour, and 3 abstentions). Creating a permanent Y20 Council would, in practice, undermine the consultative and deliberative spirit by restricting the ability of delegates to shape the proposals and communiqués of each summit. The proposed accountability measures are not enforceable, as they would infringe on the independence of the Youth Summits Organising Committees (OCs) supported by each G20 member state.
What we chose to defend, therefore, is precisely what guarantees the relevance and legitimacy of our process. The reason the proposal for this permanent Y20 Council was overwhelmingly opposed is due to the fact that it did not achieve consensus and did not represent the will of the delegates, Sherpas, and track chairs. This is not a mere procedural issue, nor a reflex to preserve the status quo. The Y20 Secretariat announced that if this proposal was not included, the Y20 negotiations would cease entirely and thus blocked the conclusion of a communiqué that could otherwise have reflected the shared priorities of global youth.
Content from closed negotiations has been made public by the Y20 Secretariat, even though such exchanges are expected to remain confidential in order to safeguard the integrity of the forum. Proper procedure should have been observed, as Y20 communications are intended to be issued collectively and to reflect shared principles. Regardless of the outcome of this year’s Y20 Summit, we, the youth of the G20, remain committed to advancing our shared priorities for a more sustainable, fair, and cooperative world. We will continue our advocacy, develop thematic statements where possible, and strengthen dialogue with governments, civil society, and international organisations. We thank all delegates for their hard work, persistence, and dedication to youth diplomacy, and we especially acknowledge the track chairs for their professional and tireless facilitation.We commit ourselves to continuing dialogue, strengthening international youth cooperation, and engaging with governments, civil society, and international institutions to translate our shared priorities into action. The absence of consensus in one process does not diminish the resolve of youth worldwide to build bridges, seek solutions, and work together for the common good.
The Y20 2025 Delegations and OCs:
Future Leaders Network (FLN), United Kingdom
G7/G20 Youth Japan, Japan
German National Committee on International Youth Work (DNK), Germany
Global Voices, Australia
Indonesian Youth Diplomacy, Indonesia
Open Diplomacy Institute, France
South African Youth for International Diplomacy (SAYID), South Africa
Y20 2025 Argentinian Delegation, Argentina
Y20 2025 Mexican Delegation, Mexico
Y20 2025 Republic of Korea Delegation, Republic of Korea
Y20 2025 Saudi Arabian Delegation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Y20 2025 Turkish Delegation, the Republic of Türkiye
Young Ambassadors Society (YAS), Italy
Young Diplomats of Canada (YDC), Canada
Young European Leadership (YEL), European Union
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP), USA
