Washington, November 28: President Donald J. Trump announced that South Africa will not receive an invitation to the 2026 G20 Summit, which is scheduled to be hosted in Miami, Florida. The statement comes days after the G20 meeting concluded in Johannesburg, which the United States did not attend.
In a post published on Wednesday, Trump cited allegations of human rights violations against Afrikaners and white farming communities in South Africa, claiming the government had failed to address the issue.
Dispute Over G20 Handover Ceremony
Trump stated that at the end of the Johannesburg summit, South African officials declined to transfer the G20 presidency to a senior U.S. Embassy representative present at the closing ceremony. The U.S. had boycotted the summit, sending no senior government delegation.
According to Trump, the refusal amounted to a breach of diplomatic protocol. He added that, under his direction, the U.S. would immediately halt payments and subsidies provided to South Africa.
South Africa Rejects Allegations
The South African government has dismissed the accusations, calling them unfounded and politically motivated. Officials noted that the transfer of G20 presidency typically occurs among leaders of attending nations and said protocol was followed in accordance with standard G20 procedures.
South African authorities also rejected claims of systematic violence or state-supported targeting of white farmers, stating that crime affects all communities and that government policies do not discriminate on racial grounds.
International Reaction
Governments and multilateral observers have not endorsed Trump’s allegation of “genocide,” and rights organizations say available crime data does not support the claim of targeted, state-backed attacks on white farming groups.
Diplomats warn that excluding a G20 member could create tensions ahead of next year’s summit and may require clarity from the G20 Troika, which traditionally oversees transitional responsibilities.
Background
This year’s G20 summit was the first to be held on the African continent. The U.S. boycotted the meeting, marking a rare absence in the forum’s history. With the 2026 summit set for Miami, Trump’s move could test long-standing U.S.–South Africa relations and complicate multilateral cooperation within the G20 framework.
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