What You Need to Know
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated that the United States might reconsider its decision to boycott the G20 summit in Johannesburg. However, the White House dismissed this claim as fake news, asserting that the US would not participate in the discussions. The situation remains fluid as the summit approaches.
Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated on Thursday that the United States indicated a possibility of changing its stance and participating in the G20 summit in Johannesburg after the Trump administration’s boycott. However, the White House described the report as “fake news.”
These comments came during a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Ramaphosa said, “We have received a notification from the United States, which we are still discussing with them, regarding a change in their position concerning participation in the summit in one way or another.”
He added, “This comes just a few days before the summit, so we need to engage in such discussions to understand their feasibility and what they actually mean.”
The Trump administration had announced that it would not attend the first G20 summit to be held in Africa, accusing the host country, which was under white minority rule until 1994, of practicing discrimination against whites.
On Thursday, a White House official stated that an envoy would attend the formal handover ceremony of the G20 presidency from South Africa to the United States, but there would be no participation from Washington in the summit.
The official added, “This is fake news. The chargé d’affaires in Pretoria will attend the handover ceremony as a formal procedure, but the United States will not join the G20 discussions.”
However, the spokesperson for the South African presidency, Vincent Magwenya, stated, “The president will not hand over the presidency to a chargé d’affaires.”
Trump had rejected South Africa’s agenda for the summit scheduled for November 22-23, which focuses on enhancing solidarity and assisting developing countries in adapting to worsening climate disasters, transitioning to clean energy, and reducing their heavy debt burdens.
Ramaphosa said last week about handing over the G20 presidency to the United States, “I do not want to hand it over to an empty seat, but the empty seat will be there.”
The G20 summit is a significant international forum that addresses global economic issues. South Africa is hosting this summit for the first time, a notable event given its history of apartheid and the transition to democracy in 1994. The participation of major powers like the US is crucial for the summit’s success, as it aims to foster cooperation on pressing global challenges.
The Trump administration’s initial decision to boycott the summit was based on allegations of discrimination in South Africa. This stance reflects broader geopolitical tensions and the complexities of international relations, particularly regarding economic collaboration and climate change initiatives that the G20’s
