Tensions Rise as Trump Excludes South Africa from G20 Invitation

Thu Nov 27 2025 18:02:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a recent statement, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed disappointment over US President Trump's decision to exclude South Africa from next year's G20 summit following a diplomatic spat. Ramaphosa highlighted the need for unity among member nations amid ongoing misinformation.

Following President Trump's announcement that South Africa would not receive an invitation to the 2026 G20 summit due to a diplomatic disagreement, President Cyril Ramaphosa voiced regret over the decision. The ongoing tensions arise from differing narratives surrounding South Africa's political landscape and Trump's controversial claims about the country.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as regrettable the announcement by US President Donald Trump that South Africa would not be invited to take part in next year's G20 summit in Florida.

In a social media post, Trump stated that South Africa had refused to hand over the G20 presidency to a US embassy representative at last week's summit in Johannesburg. Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year, he added.

Members of the G20 do not require a formal invitation to attend; however, they could be impeded through visa restrictions. Trump boycotted the Johannesburg summit, citing a widely discredited claim that South Africa's white minority is suffering from large-scale killings and land grabs.

Ramaphosa stated that the US was expected to participate in the G20 meetings but unfortunately chose not to attend the G20 Leaders Summit in Johannesburg. He noted the presence of some US businesses and civil society entities, despite the absence of the official delegation.

The low-key handover of the G20 presidency to a US Embassy official has seemingly aggravated Trump, who has been very vocal about his criticisms of South Africa's internal and foreign policies. In previous statements, Trump has claimed South Africa is undergoing a white genocide and accused the government of endangering white farmers.

Ramaphosa expressed disappointment that efforts to reset relations with the US have been undermined, noting that Trump continues to employ punitive measures based on misinformation. He also pointed out that Trump condemned South Africa as unworthy of global membership, ceasing all payments and subsidies immediately.

Amid these tensions, South African officials have called for solidarity among G20 members to uphold the integrity of the organization and the rights of its member states. The recent G20 summit in Johannesburg released a declaration focused on multilateral cooperation on issues such as climate change and economic inequality, despite objections from the US.