South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear that he will not hand over the next G20 presidency to a US embassy representative after President Donald Trump declined to attend the Johannesburg summit.
The Trump administration announced it would send the charge d’affaires of the US embassy in South Africa to assume Washington’s 2026 presidency of the group of leading economies. South Africa, however, rejected this, emphasizing that only a head of state, minister, or a “special envoy appointed by the president” could officially receive the G20 handover.
“The United States is a member of the G20, and if they want to be represented, they can still send anyone at the right level,” South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told journalists. Lamola added that if proper representation was not possible, a handover could be conducted at government offices between officials of equivalent ranking.
Trump’s absence comes amid broader tensions between Washington and Pretoria, including disputes over alleged persecution of white South Africans. The US embassy had indicated ahead of the summit that its priorities conflicted with US policy views and that no joint declaration could be issued due to its absence.
Despite the US boycott, the Johannesburg summit brought together nearly two dozen world leaders who adopted a leaders’ declaration calling for peace in Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The declaration also emphasized safeguards for the global supply of critical minerals.
“We cannot be held back by one country,” presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya told reporters, signaling South Africa’s commitment to moving forward with the G20 agenda regardless of the US stance.
The Johannesburg summit highlights growing strains in multilateral diplomacy, but South Africa remains determined to uphold the integrity of the G20 process and ensure smooth leadership transitions, even amid political disagreements.
