South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to what he called a “regrettable statement” by US President Donald Trump, who criticized the African nation and claimed it would be excluded from the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, Florida, next year.
“South Africa is a sovereign and constitutionally democratic country, and does not appreciate insults from another country about its value in participating on global platforms,” the South African presidency said in a statement on Wednesday (26).
Earlier, Trump stated that South Africa “is not a country worthy of belonging anywhere” and said that e.g.
Hostilities between the Trump administration and South Africa have intensified since the , which was to be held in South Africa this month, in the context of unfounded accusations that the South African government was committing genocide against white South Africans.
“It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reconfigure the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to pursue punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” the statement said.
