President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed South Africa’s standing within the Group of 20 following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that South Africa would not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida.
Earlier this week, in a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the South African government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers.
Trump also cited South Africa’s refusal to hand over the G20 presidency to the US embassy official, Marc Dillard, during the closing ceremony on Sunday, 23 November, citing that it was against protocol.
RAMAPHOSA REAFFIRMS SOUTH AFRICA’S G20 STATUS
Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa clarified that South Africa’s participation in the G20 is not dependent on invitations from any member country, emphasising the country’s founding status.
“South Africa is one of the founding members of the G20 and is a member of the G20 in its own name and right,” Ramaphosa said.
His remarks come after Trump stated that South Africa would not form part of the guest list for next year’s summit, sparking questions about diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and Washington.
Trump’s comments follow months of strained relations influenced by disagreements over global geopolitics, including South Africa’s stance on the Israel–Gaza conflict, the so-called “white genocide” and its close ties with BRICS partners.
MEMBERSHIP IS PERMANENT
Ramaphosa’s response serves to underscore that the Group of 20 membership is permanent unless revoked by the collective body, and not subject to invitations by the summit host country. South Africa remains the only African member of the G20, representing the continent’s interests within the global economic bloc.
The country’s membership dates back to 1999, when the G20 was first convened to strengthen international financial cooperation following the Asian financial crisis.
