Ramaphosa Reacts to Trump's G20 Invite Snub: SA Pushes Ahead

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa described the decision by United States President Donald Trump to skip inviting SA to the 2026 G20 summit as regrettable. The dispute centers on Trump's claim that SA did not hand over the G20 presidency to a U.S. embassy representative during the Johannesburg gathering.

The G20 gathers the world's largest economies, and membership is generally decided by consensus. Attendance can be influenced by visa rules, even if an invitation is not strictly required.

SA's response and next steps

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Pretoria accepts that there will not be a formal reset of ties at the highest level despite ongoing efforts. If visa restrictions remain a hurdle, South Africa will look to work with other G20 members to advance the issues raised in Johannesburg.

Ramaphosa noted that while the U.S. delegation was absent, some American businesses and civil society groups attended the talks. The presidency handed the G20 presidency instruments to a U.S. Embassy official in Pretoria, a move Trump criticized in his posts.

Context and ongoing concerns

Trump has previously repeated claims of a white genocide in South Africa and described farm seizures. South Africa rejects these allegations as unfounded and misleading. Ramaphosa warned that punitive measures based on misinformation undermine efforts to reset relations, even as the G20 issued a joint statement on climate and economic inequality despite U.S. objections that SA had used the presidency for leverage.

Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg

Expert analysis

Expert comment: Political analysts say misinformation can complicate diplomacy, underscoring the need for steady engagement with all G20 members. South Africa will continue to advance its priorities with other partners while monitoring the US stance.

Short summary

Ramaphosa called the Trump move regrettable, and SA signaled it would keep pushing its goals in multilateral forums. Washington's absence from the Johannesburg gathering did not halt the group's work, which produced a joint climate and inequality declaration. SA stresses resilience and broad regional cooperation in its foreign policy.

Key insight: Misinformation can strain diplomacy even as major forums push for global cooperation.

Source: BBC News