Ahead of Africa’s first-ever G20 summit, the United States has signaled it will participate, reversing its earlier decision not to attend, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday.
The G20 summit is scheduled for November 22–23 in Johannesburg. The Trump administration had initially declined to attend, citing disagreements with South Africa’s priorities for the meeting. Ramaphosa described the U.S. reversal as “a positive sign” but noted that discussions are ongoing to clarify how the U.S. participation will take shape.
“We still need to engage with them to understand fully what their participation at the 11th hour means and how it will manifest itself”?, he said.
South Africa is hosting the summit under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”?, focusing on disaster resilience, debt sustainability for low-income countries, financing a just energy transition, and leveraging critical minerals for inclusive growth.
Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola emphasized that Pretoria would press ahead with its agenda regardless of prior objections.
Ramaphosa stressed that no country should be bullied based on geography, wealth, or power. “All countries are here, and the United States, the biggest economy in the world, needs to be here”, he said.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has repeatedly criticized South Africa, including making false claims that white Afrikaners are being systematically targeted.
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