The United States has reaffirmed its decision not to participate in the G20 summit, currently underway in Johannesburg, South Africa. Despite comments from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa suggesting a potential change of heart, the White House has confirmed that it will only send a diplomatic delegation to the handover ceremony at the end of the event. This ceremony marks the transition of the G20 presidency to the United States, which will host the summit next year at President Donald Trump’s golf club in Doral, Florida.
The US boycott is attributed to President Trump’s claims of violent persecution of white Afrikaner minority farmers in South Africa, allegations that have been widely disputed. This development is the latest in a series of criticisms leveled by Trump against South Africa since his return to office. In May, he held a tense meeting with President Ramaphosa at the White House, confronting him with claims of widespread violence against Afrikaners, which are unsubstantiated.
President Ramaphosa has emphasized that the summit will issue a joint declaration, despite pressure from the US to refrain from doing so. A South African G20 official revealed that the US had advised against adopting a declaration due to the absence of the American delegation, which would preclude consensus. Instead, the US prefers a toned-down statement from South Africa to conclude the summit. Ramaphosa has expressed regret over the US absence but vowed that participating nations “will not agree to be bullied.”
Other leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have expressed hope for a joint declaration, although the outcome remains uncertain. South Africa, as the first African nation to hold the G20 presidency, aims to advance issues affecting poor countries, such as climate change mitigation, debt relief, and addressing global wealth inequality. The European Commission and European Council have expressed support for South Africa’s agenda.
The US has previously disparaged South Africa’s priorities, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipping a G20 foreign ministers meeting in February and dismissing the agenda as focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as climate change. While other leaders, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, are also skipping the summit, they have sent delegations to represent them in the talks. According to a South African ambassador, the US is the only country not participating in the discussions. The summit’s outcome and the implications of the US boycott will be closely watched in the coming days.