The Cyril Ramaphosa-led government of South Africa has condemned US President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude it from the 2026 G20 summit, describing the move as punitive, unfounded and harmful to global cooperation.
Tensions between the two countries have been rising over several political and diplomatic disagreements. This led to the United States’ notable absence from last week’s G20 summit in South Africa.
Trump revealed that South Africa would not be invited to next year’s gathering, which he intends to host at his Miami golf resort.
Following this, South Africa, in a statement late Wednesday, insisted that it remains a legitimate and independent G20 member and that its status is not dictated by any single country.
“South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democratic country and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms,” the presidency said, pledging continued attendance at all G20 engagements.
Trump had accused South Africa of failing to protect white farmers from what he claimed were “horrific Human Rights Abuses,” and criticised South Africa’s refusal to symbolically hand over the G20 presidency to a US representative at the summit at the nations capital, Johannesburg.
South Africa transferred the presidency on Tuesday in a low-key ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, insisting the handover be conducted “at the right level” of diplomatic representation.
South Africa said the US action was based on misinformation and ignored significant diplomatic efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to rebuild relations.
“It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” the statement added.
Relations between the countries have also deteriorated over South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and America’s imposition of 30 per cent tariffs which is the highest rate on any sub-Saharan African country.
The G20 is made up of 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union, representing 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population.
