South Africa urged G20 countries to show global and cooperative leadership to tackle challenges including rising trade barriers, as the club's finance chiefs met on Thursday under the shadow of President Donald Trump's tariff threats.

South Africa calls for cooperative leadership at the G20 meeting, emphasizing the need for solidarity in tackling challenges like rising trade barriers. The forum, historically plagued by disputes, faces additional strain from Russia's war in Ukraine and tariff threats from the Trump administration.

Group of 20 finance officials meet in South Africa from Thursday amid trade tensions, a global economic slowdown and Washington's threat to withdraw from multilateral organisations. President Cyril Ramaphosa has sought to leverage Africa's first G20 presidency to promote an African agenda,