The G20 foreign ministers meeting on Thursday was overshadowed by a diplomatic snub from top US officials, a development that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa downplayed, saying their absence was “not the end of the world.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio snubbed the foreign ministers meeting, accusing South Africa of being “anti-American.”
The meeting, hosted by South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, brought together ministers from the world’s leading economies.
The tensions between Pretoria and Washington were further escalated after it was confirmed that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would not attend the upcoming finance ministers meeting, citing obligations back home.
Ramaphosa sought to downplay the snub, arguing that the absence of individual leaders should not diminish the significance of the G20 meetings.
“The absence of some leaders is not the end of the world as long as the G20 family is able to meet, discuss important issues, and come out with a declaration — and that is what we aim for,” Ramaphosa told journalists on the sidelines of the foreign ministers meeting.
He dismissed suggestions that the US officials’ absence amounted to a boycott, instead framing it as a matter that could be addressed through diplomatic engagement.
“This is not a boycott. It can be ascribed to a number of reasons. We have resolved that we will engage diplomatically to have these matters disclosed and dealt with to iron out any wrinkles that may appear in our relationship.”
He emphasised that the US remained an important partner to South Africa, noting that Washington is Pretoria’s second-largest trading partner.
The diplomatic rift comes amid weeks of strained relations between Pretoria and Washington, triggered by US President Donald Trump’s criticism of South Africa’s new Expropriation Bill, which allows for land seizures without compensation.
Trump accused the South African government of “continuous human rights violations”, an allegation Pretoria has dismissed as false and misleading.
The latest diplomatic rift adds to a growing list of disagreements between Pretoria and Washington in recent years.
South Africa has pursued a non-aligned foreign policy stance, refusing to take sides in global power struggles, including tensions between the US and Russia.
Pretoria’s close ties with China and Russia, both BRICS partners, have also drawn criticism from Western allies.
JN/APA