South Africa and the US have traded barbs over this weekend’s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, while the White House called President Cyril Ramaphosa’s claim that Washington had rethought its boycott of the event “fake news”.
The G-20 hasn’t even started yet, but it has already turned into the kind of petty provocation that occurred during Brazil’s presidency at the BRICS summit of large developing nations earlier this year, when President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva intensified his attacks on President Donald Trump, who responded in kind. This follows the attack on the multilateral order that has characterized the US leader’s second term.
Trump boycotted the G-20 — a first for the US — and reiterated false claims that South Africa was instigating genocide against white Afrikaners. But on Thursday, Ramaphosa said his government had received warning from the US about a “change of mind” on Washington’s participation — a notion the US immediately disputed.
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Earlier this week, the US formally warned South Africa not to press for a joint statement at the first G-20 summit held on African soil, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. Trump had previously said that no officials would participate.
Marc Dillard, who became deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Pretoria in August, was appointed as the official to attend a ceremony marking the handover of the G-20 presidency. But the South Africans are expected to deny that request, saying the Americans need to nominate someone of appropriate seniority.
The decision to send an embassy official rather than a cabinet member reflects tension between the Trump administration and South Africa. The US formally assumes the presidency of the group of major economies early next month, making its decision to boycott the summit especially significant.
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In addition to skipping the summit, aimed at the world’s most powerful leaders to address critical geopolitical and economic issues, the US is pressuring South Africa and other members not to publish a joint statement at the end of the event.
“The US opposes the issuance of any G-20 summit outcome document under the premise of a consensus G-20 position, without US agreement,” he said in a letter to South Africa, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. “If a document is issued under his presidency, it will be framed solely as a statement by the president to accurately reflect the absence of consensus.”
Securing a declaration is a priority for Ramaphosa. He has sought to build on the agenda advanced by recent G-20 presidents from the so-called Global South — Indonesia, India and Brazil. This includes making the fight against climate change and inequality a priority. The US is opposed to prioritizing these issues.
© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.
