Federal Minister of Health Warken at the G20 Summit in South Africa

For the first time ever, a G20 Summit is being held in Africa, including this year’s G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting. In Polokwane, participants discussed strengthening international health, pandemic preparedness, the management of infectious diseases, the growing importance of non-communicable diseases, as well as issues of health workforce development.

10. November 2025

Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken participated in the discussions on behalf of Germany, thereby stressing the important role of multilateral cooperation.

The Minister held a number of bilateral meetings – including with Singapore, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Ireland – to discuss strengthening cooperation and coordination.

South Africa has been a partner country to Germany in the context of international health cooperation since 2023. A Joint Declaration of Intent has been concluded between the two countries to enhance their cooperation in the field of health.

Treffen der G20-Gesundheitsminister/innen in Südafrika

Bundesgesundheitsministerin Nina Warken beim Treffen der G20-Gesundheitsminister/innen in Südafrika

Kalafong-Krankenhaus der University of Pretoria

Bundesgesundheitsministerin Nina Warken besucht das Kalafong-Krankenhaus der University of Pretoria

Frühgeborenenstation im Kalafong-Krankenhaus der University of Pretoria

Bundesgesundheitsministerin Nina Warken besucht das Kalafong-Krankenhaus der University of Pretoria

On the sidelines of the meeting, talks were also held with representatives from the host country’s healthcare and business sectors in Johannesburg and Pretoria. More than 600 German companies are based in South Africa. This makes Germany by far its most important EU trading partner.

Among other things, the Minister also visited the Kalafong Hospital of the University of Pretoria. It specialises in the research into and treatment of women with placental insufficiency and the care of premature babies.

The dedication with which mothers and children are cared for here, under conditions that we cannot begin to imagine, is very impressive and incredibly moving.

Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken

Another focus of the clinic is the protection of children born to HIV-infected mothers. Home to over five million people living with HIV/AIDS, South Africa is one of the most affected countries worldwide. Despite existing challenges in terms of staff and infrastructure, child mortality rates there are comparatively low.

The video [in German] below includes further impressions of the Minister’s trip to Africa:

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