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As South Africa prepares to host the G20 summit in Johannesburg this November — the first ever on African soil — the nation stands at the crossroads of global diplomacy, attempting to balance competing centres of power while asserting its independence on the world stage. Yet, at this critical moment, a surge in activity among foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has not gone unnoticed. Operating under the guise of humanitarian assistance and civic engagement, these organisations are increasingly seen as constructing “pressure networks” aimed at influencing the South African government ahead of high-level negotiations. The phenomenon is not new: intensified NGO activism before major international summits has become predictable.
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