‘Don’t boycott US summit’: Pretoria stands firm on G20 unity, urges members to support

South Africa will attend the upcoming G20 summit in the US and will not entertain any boycotts, despite Washington's decision to skip last month’s Johannesburg G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told journalists in a media briefing on Monday that Pretoria has urged all G20 members to engage, warning that unilateral moves threaten the multilateral foundation of the bloc.

“We are against the US boycott. We will not promote any boycott ourselves. Our focus remains on championing the critical issues debated in Johannesburg, ensuring they remain firmly on the G20 agenda, regardless of US approval.”

Trump announced that South Africa would not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit, which would be hosted in Miami, USA.

The US had refused to attend the Johannesburg summit, citing disagreements over agenda priorities, particularly the government laws.

The US President Donald Trump boycotted the summit and did not send any representative, citing discredited claims of a white genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa and labelling the hosting of the summit there "a total disgrace".

The decision was widely interpreted by multilateral observers as a unilateral affront to the consensus-driven nature of the G20.

Magwenya emphasised the country’s position as a founding member of the G20, stressing that exclusionary actions must be challenged and rejected by all members.

“These are issues not only vital to our continent but essential to the world: poverty reduction, climate action, and equitable development cannot be confined to a single country’s approval.”

Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has actively engaged other G20 members, urging them to voice their positions on the US’s unilateral move.

Magwenya added, “We’ve encouraged members to express their views openly. Many have communicated support for our stance and rejection of Washington’s decision. This is about defending multilateralism itself.”

The Johannesburg summit marked a turning point in Africa’s role within global economic governance, highlighting long-standing tensions over agenda-setting and representation.

Meanwhile, in his closing remarks, President Cyril Ramaphosa, said “We will again be in the US for the summit.”

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