“US Softens G20 Boycott as South Africa Pushes for Inclusive Dialogue”

The United States is reconsidering its earlier decision to avoid the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. Talks are underway, but no confirmation has been given regarding President Trump’s participation. The shift highlights a rapid change in Washington’s diplomatic posture.
Tensions grew after Trump claimed that South Africa discriminates against white Afrikaners and white farmers. Pretoria rejected these allegations, labeling them inaccurate and damaging. Despite the controversy, preparations continued uninterrupted for the first G20 summit hosted on African soil.
Ramaphosa described the US outreach as encouraging, even though it arrived shortly before the summit’s opening. He emphasized that boycotts rarely foster solutions in global politics. According to him, dialogue is the only sustainable approach.
South Africa strongly criticized a US diplomatic note that insisted no G20 declaration could be issued without American approval. Officials argued that such a demand undermines the legitimacy of multilateral decision-making. They warned that absentee influence threatens the forum’s credibility.
Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s focus on energy transition, inequality reduction, and global south representation. He stressed that progress requires participation from all major economies, including the United States.