G20 leaders have adopted a summit declaration in South Africa, pushing ahead despite a boycott by the United States and warnings from Washington not to proceed without its presence.
The two-day meeting opened with tensions after the Trump administration urged Pretoria to suspend plans for a leaders’ declaration in the absence of an American delegation, according to South African officials.
President Cyril Ramaphosa publicly rejected the pressure earlier in the week, insisting that “we will not be bullied.”
Details of the adopted declaration were not immediately released, but South Africa celebrated the move as a significant diplomatic achievement.
“The adoption of the declaration sends an important signal to the world that multilateralism can and does deliver,” Ramaphosa said as he opened the summit.
“It tells the world that as G20 leaders, we remain committed to our pledge to leave no person, no community and no country behind.”
Although Ramaphosa’s spokesperson described the declaration as unanimous, Argentina said it did not endorse the document.
President Javier Milei skipped the summit in solidarity with U.S. President Donald Trump, sending Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno in his place.
In a departure from G20 tradition, the declaration was adopted at the start rather than the end of the summit, a move seen as South Africa’s attempt to secure consensus early amid geopolitical friction.
This year’s summit, the first G20 meeting ever hosted in Africa, is focused on tackling urgent global challenges, including climate change and widening economic inequality.
