President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed the United States’ decision to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, declaring that Washington’s absence will not derail the gathering of the world’s leading economies.
Speaking to reporters in Cape Town on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the US boycott announced by President Donald Trump over the weekend would only diminish America’s global influence, not the summit’s success.
“We will take fundamental decisions, and their absence is their loss,” Ramaphosa stated firmly. “In many ways, the United States is giving up the very important role it should be playing as the biggest economy in the world.”
Set for November 22–23, the Johannesburg summit marks the first time the G20 will convene on African soil. South Africa, which currently chairs the bloc, plans to use its presidency to push Global South priorities from climate resilience to debt relief for developing nations under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”
But Washington has branded the agenda “anti-American,” deepening tensions between the two nations. Pretoria and Washington have clashed repeatedly over South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and laws aimed at empowering black citizens still facing the legacy of apartheid.
Trump, who returned to the White House in January, has also accused South Africa of “targeting” white farmers claims the government has repeatedly dismissed as false. Earlier this year, Trump even offered refugee status to Afrikaners, with the first batch of 50 settlers flown to the US in May.
Despite the snub, Ramaphosa insisted that the G20’s work will proceed uninterrupted:
“They’ve chosen to boycott, and boycotting never achieves anything of great impact. Decisions will still be taken and they will move the world forward.”
Founded in 1999, the G20 represents 85% of global GDP and about two-thirds of the world’s population. South Africa is set to hand over its chairmanship to the United States next year.
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