The UK will host the G20 summit in 2027, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed on Saturday, positioning the event as a key moment to drive global
economic growth and strengthen international stability. The announcement was made during the G20 gathering in South Africa, where the Prime Minister underscored the UK’s ambition to shape the international
agenda at a time of geopolitical and economic uncertainty. The G20 represents 85% of global GDP, 75% of world trade and around two-thirds of the global population, bringing together 19 major economies alongside the European Union and African Union.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our work abroad is delivering for people at home in good jobs, greater opportunities, and national renewal. Hosting the G20 will allow us to shape the global agenda once again, driving forward economic stability in the UK and beyond.
“As we enter the next cycle of G20 Presidencies, we must double down on our core mission: driving growth – not just in numbers, but in opportunities for working people in each of our countries.
“We know that when we work with our partners, we can restore stability and drive prosperity on an unmatched scale, bringing benefit to all.”
G20 nations are already among the UK’s most significant economic partners. Seventeen of Britain’s top 20 export markets and 18 of its largest sources of foreign direct investment come from within the bloc.
In the past three years alone, G20 members have delivered more than 3,800 investment projects into the UK, supporting nearly 200,000 jobs. Major commitments include a £2bn investment programme from South Korea’s Shinhan Bank across energy, digital assets and infrastructure, and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, which plans to channel up to £7.5bn into UK infrastructure and clean-energy projects by 2035. Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, has also expanded operations in Rotherham.
The G20 leaders’ format was created during the global financial crisis to coordinate the response of the world’s largest economies. The 2009 London Summit, chaired by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, saw nations pledge more than $1 trillion to stabilise financial markets and avert a deeper recession—a move credited with saving jobs and restoring confidence within weeks.
Starmer said the UK’s 2027 presidency would build on that legacy, focusing on fair trade, investment and long-term prosperity. Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, Wikimedia commons.