South Africa has strongly rejected US President Donald Trump’s decision to bar it from attending the 2026 G20 summit, describing the move as punitive, unfair, and based on distortions that undermine international cooperation.
The dispute follows the recent G20 summit in Johannesburg, which the United States skipped. Trump announced that South Africa would not be invited to next year’s summit, scheduled to take place at his Miami golf resort.
In response, the South African presidency said late Wednesday that the country is a legitimate G20 member and called the US action “an insult to our sovereignty and democratic credentials.” The statement emphasised Pretoria’s commitment to participating in all G20 meetings, regardless of Washington’s stance.
Trump cited alleged “horrific human rights abuses” against white farmers and South Africa’s refusal to ceremonially hand over the G20 presidency to the United States as justification for the exclusion. South Africa, however, insists it handed over the presidency at a formal foreign ministry event and required appropriate representation from Washington.
The statement from Pretoria further criticised Trump for ignoring repeated efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to reset relations, noting that the US leader continues to impose measures based on misinformation. South Africa also pointed to ongoing disputes with the US over international legal matters, including its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, as sources of tension.
The US has additionally imposed a 30 per cent tariff on South African goods, the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa.
The G20 comprises 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union, representing roughly 85 per cent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population. South Africa’s leadership of the 2025 G20 summit marked a historic moment for Africa, and Pretoria has vowed to remain engaged in the forum despite Washington’s objections.
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