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South Africa Rejects U.S. Threat to Bar It From the 2026 G20 Summit

South Africa Rejects U.S. Threat to Bar It From the 2026 G20 Summit
Tuesday, 02 December 2025 12:08
  • Pretoria says its G20 membership is unconditional as a founding member

  • Washington disputes how the 2025 rotating presidency was handed over

  • Diplomatic strains deepen as South Africa pushes ahead with a joint declaration

South Africa has pushed back against a threat from the United States to exclude it from the 2026 G20 Summit. Responding on 30 November, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country is a founding member of the group and will continue to take part “as a full, active and constructive member.”

Washington’s warning followed the closing of the 2025 summit, held on 22–23 November in Johannesburg. The United States boycotted the meeting and later accused Pretoria of refusing to hand over the rotating G20 presidency to a senior U.S. representative present at the ceremony.

South African officials rejected the charge. They said the handover took place at the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, where the presidency was formally passed to a representative from the U.S. embassy. The dispute has added to what has become a tense diplomatic climate between the two countries.

During the summit, Ramaphosa maintained his position despite pressure from the Trump administration. He approved a joint declaration calling for reforms to global debt systems, increased climate finance, and renewed support for multilateral cooperation, even though the United States opposed adopting the text in its absence.

The exchange comes after an earlier dispute this year, when South Africa dismissed U.S. accusations of “persecution” and land seizures involving the country’s white minority. While awaiting Washington’s next move, Ramaphosa emphasized the broader relationship between the two nations, saying that “South Africa remains a firm and unwavering friend of the American people.”

Espoir Olodo

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