South Africa is expected to lead a delegation to Davos next week, carrying significant momentum from recent milestones that strengthen the country's global standing.

Fresh from hosting a historic G20 Summit on African soil – and supported by a credit rating upgrade, removal from the FATF greylist, South Africa is heading to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting with a clear message: the country is bold by nature, focused on delivery, and ready for global partnerships.

"We are coming to Davos to demonstrate tangible progress," says Mr Neville Matjie, CEO of Brand South Africa. "The reforms are real. The progress is measurable. And the opportunities are substantial."

Led by Minister of Finance Mr Enoch Godongwana, this year’s delegation brings together senior leadership across government, state institutions, and the private sector.

It includes Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Mr Parks Tau, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr Ronald Lamola, Minister of Electricity Mr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Small Business Development Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni, and the SAT Minister.

Partners include South African Tourism, First Rand Group, Rand Merchant Bank, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Naspers-Prosus, Old Mutual, Telkom, South African Breweries, the Industrial Development Corporation, Eskom, Transnet, and the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, supported by ABSA, and Anglo American. Together, they reflect a coordinated national effort to advance South Africa’s reform agenda, investment priorities, and global economic positioning.

"The strength of Team SA lies in its unity," says Ms Ipeleng Selele, Chairperson of Brand South Africa. "We are representing a country making solid progress across multiple fronts – and we're doing it together."

The narrative South Africa takes to Davos is grounded in evidence. In November 2025, Standard & Poor’s delivered the country’s first sovereign credit rating upgrade in nearly two decades. Weeks earlier, South Africa was removed from the Financial Action Task Force greylist following the implementation of a comprehensive 22-item reform programme.

This progress was reinforced on 9 January 2026, when the European Union published its decision to remove South Africa from its list of high-risk third country jurisdictions, effective 29 January 2026. The move reduces regulatory friction for transactions with EU financial institutions and signals growing international confidence in South Africa’s regulatory and financial governance framework.

The energy sector has delivered over 300 consecutive days without load shedding, and according to Group CEO, Dan Marokane, Eskom entered 2026 with an additional 4400MW of available generation capacity compared to the same period last year, underpinned by a marked improvement in the performance of its power stations.

Operation Vulindlela – the structural reform programme jointly led by the Presidency and National Treasury – continues to unlock bottlenecks across the economy. A pipeline of 220 GW of private-sector renewable energy projects is in development, with 72 GW in advanced stages.

Eleven private Train Operating Companies were selected to add 20 million tonnes of freight capacity annually from 2026/27. Digital reforms have reduced data costs by 51%, while visa reforms cleared a 306,000-application backlog.

South Africa's G20 Presidency has added further momentum to these efforts. The Leaders' Declaration, rooted in the philosophy of Ubuntu – secured the African Union's permanent seat and adopted the G20 Critical Minerals Framework, positioning South Africa at the heart of global conversations about energy transition and industrial supply chains.

Under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), South Africa exported R571 billion worth of goods to the balance of the continent in 2024. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange remains Africa's largest and most liquid capital market.

"When you invest in South Africa, you're not just investing in one country," notes Mr Matjie. "You're investing in a platform – for Africa, and increasingly, for the Global South."

Team SA will operate from the South Africa House – a 225 square metre flagship space on Davos' 49 Promenade – home to Team South Africa’s official programme from 19 to 23 January 2026. The delegation will participate in panel discussions covering energy transition, capital mobilisation, critical minerals, logistics reform, and digital innovation.

The signature event, SA Night brings together business leaders, investors, diplomats, and media to showcase South African hospitality, culture, and opportunity will be hosted on Tuesday 20 January. For the first time, South African Tourism is on board to host a “South Africa Awaits Come Find Your Joy” event, a wine and golf sector experience to give international audiences a taste of South Africa. "Davos is where reputations are built and narratives are reinforced," says Ms Selele. "This year, we're showcasing South Africa's boldness, substance, resilience, and opportunity. We're ready to engage."