President Cyril Ramaphosa reassured the public that the absence of key US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, from high-level G20 meetings should not be seen as a boycott of South Africa. This follows an ongoing diplomatic dispute between Washington and Pretoria, largely driven by tensions over South Africa’s land policies and other issues. Despite the absence of these top officials, Ramaphosa emphasized that the US remains a part of the G20 discussions and that these matters would be addressed diplomatically.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that South Africa and the US may not always agree on specific issues but reiterated the importance of diplomatic engagement and cooperation. The diplomatic spat has escalated recently with the Trump administration halting funding to South Africa and offering refugee status to white Afrikaners, which has further strained relations.
While the absence of Bessent and Rubio raises questions about whether US President Donald Trump will attend the G20 leaders’ summit later this year, South Africa continues to push for global reforms and advocate for a greater role for developing countries in international governance. The country is also working on securing agreements on climate change and improving funding for heavily indebted nations.
The G20 meetings are ongoing, and South Africa has made clear that they are continuing to use diplomatic channels to engage with the US despite these tensions.