President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address at a public Global Inequality Dialogue at University of the Witwatersrand on Friday 24 April. The event forms part of efforts to establish a new International Panel on Inequality (IPI), a global body expected to track inequality trends and advise on policy responses.
South Africa initiated the process during its 2025 G20 Presidency, when it commissioned a landmark global inequality report led by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. One of the report’s main recommendations was the creation of a permanent international panel, similar in structure to the climate-focused Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The proposed IPI is expected to monitor the causes and consequences of inequality across countries and provide independent, evidence-based analysis. The founding committee of the panel is meeting for the second time at Wits from 24 to 25 April, hosted by the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies.
The discussions will focus on the panel’s structure, governance, and long-term role. The meeting will also include a public dialogue featuring global experts, including Winnie Byanyima, alongside academics and policymakers from Brazil, Norway, South Africa and Spain.
South Africa has already secured backing from the African Union and plans to table a draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly later this year to formally establish the panel.
Ramaphosa’s address is scheduled for 11:30 at the Wits School of Governance in Parktown, Johannesburg.
The Presidency said the event will also be streamed live on its digital platforms due to limited space at the venue.
