Pope Leo XIV on Saturday hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Vatican, a meeting centered on cultural exchange and mutual understanding, even as diplomatic tensions rise following the United States’ decision to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa.
The meeting, held at the Apostolic Palace, was described by Pretoria as an effort to strengthen dialogue and international cooperation. Both leaders exchanged gifts and held cordial discussions on global peace, social justice, and interfaith collaboration.
The visit came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that no American delegation — including Vice President JD Vance — would attend the G20 in Johannesburg. Trump justified the boycott by alleging “abuses” and “persecution” of white Afrikaner farmers, calling South Africa’s role as host “a complete disgrace.”
Washington has also hinted that most of its limited refugee intake this year will be reserved for white South Africans, further deepening the diplomatic rift.
The South African government swiftly dismissed the allegations as baseless. President Ramaphosa said he personally told Trump that claims of discrimination against white farmers are “completely false,” emphasizing that white South Africans generally enjoy far higher living standards than Black citizens more than 30 years after apartheid.
Officials in Pretoria described the U.S. stance as “deeply misguided” and out of touch with South Africa’s realities.
Despite the controversy, Ramaphosa’s Vatican visit projected calm diplomacy — a symbolic reaffirmation of South Africa’s commitment to dialogue and partnership over division.
