South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pushed back against pressure from Washington after the United States reaffirmed it will not take part in this weekend’s G20 summit in Johannesburg.
The White House on Thursday dismissed Ramaphosa’s earlier remarks that the US had reconsidered its stance. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that while the US will attend the summit’s closing handover ceremony—marking next year’s G20 presidency, to be hosted by the US at President Donald Trump’s Doral golf club in Florida—it will not join the discussions or endorse any outcomes.
President Trump has attributed the boycott to what he claims is the violent persecution of white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, allegations widely discredited internationally. Tensions between the two countries have escalated since Trump returned to office, including a confrontational White House meeting in May where he challenged Ramaphosa with the same unfounded allegations.
Despite Washington’s absence, Ramaphosa insisted the summit will proceed with a joint declaration. South African officials say the US has formally advised Pretoria against issuing a declaration, arguing there would be no consensus without American participation. Instead, Washington prefers a softer, South Africa–only statement concluding the summit.
Ramaphosa rejected that demand, saying the G20’s work would not be derailed.
“Without the United States, the whole process of the G20 is moving forward. We will not be bullied,” he told reporters, while expressing regret over America’s decision.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and top EU officials—Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa—voiced support for South Africa’s leadership and its priorities, though Merz noted that securing a joint declaration “is not entirely certain.”
As the first African country to hold the G20 presidency, South Africa is seeking meaningful progress on issues affecting developing nations, including climate adaptation, disaster response, debt relief, and global inequality.
The US has previously criticized South Africa’s agenda, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipping February’s G20 foreign ministers’ meeting and dismissing the priorities as focused on “diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change.”
Other major leaders—China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Argentina’s Javier Milei—are also absent from the summit but have sent delegations. The US is the only nation not represented in the negotiating room.
“The only country that is not in the room is the United States, and that is their choice,” said Xolisa Mabhongo, South Africa’s G20 ambassador, in an interview with SABC.
