Ramaphosa: “We Will Not Be Bullied” as Washington Declines Participation
As Johannesburg prepares to host world leaders for the highly anticipated G20 Summit, tensions have escalated following the United States’ renewed confirmation that it will not participate in the main proceedings. The announcement comes despite earlier remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa suggesting that Washington might have reconsidered its stance.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the U.S. position remained unchanged: President Donald Trump’s administration will not join the summit discussions. Instead, the United States will only send a diplomatic team to attend the ceremonial handover marking America’s presidency of the G20 next year, which is set to take place at Trump’s Doral golf resort in Florida.
President Trump has cited unsubstantiated allegations of violent persecution against white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa as the basis for the U.S. withdrawal. These assertions, widely dismissed by experts, have nonetheless fueled tensions between Washington and Pretoria since Trump’s return to office.
The strained relations reached a new peak in May during a contentious White House meeting, where Trump confronted President Ramaphosa with claims of “widespread violence” against Afrikaners an allegation Ramaphosa firmly rejected. Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers, have been central to Trump’s rhetoric, despite evidence contradicting the accusations.
Beyond the boycott, the United States has reportedly pressured South Africa not to issue a joint G20 declaration a standard outcome of the annual summit. According to a senior South African G20 official, Washington communicated that without its participation, consensus could not be achieved, and therefore no declaration should be released.
Instead, the U.S. has proposed a toned-down statement issued solely by the South African presidency, a move that would significantly diminish the collective voice of the G20. The summit caps more than 120 meetings held throughout the year, during which South Africa has sought to elevate African and developing-nation priorities.
President Ramaphosa has openly expressed disappointment over America’s absence but has remained resolute. Addressing journalists, he stated emphatically:
“Without the United States, the whole process of the G20 is moving forward. We will not be bullied.”
Despite U.S. opposition, many global leaders have expressed optimism and support for South Africa’s leadership. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he hopes discussions will yield “joint decisions,” although he admitted that final consensus remains uncertain.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa met with Ramaphosa in Johannesburg, voicing their backing for South Africa’s agenda which centers on issues disproportionately affecting developing nations.
These priorities include:
- Mitigating the impacts of climate change
- Addressing weather-related disasters
- Reducing debt burdens on poorer countries
- Tackling global inequality and wealth disparities
U.S. skepticism toward South Africa’s leadership began earlier in the year. In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, dismissing South Africa’s focus on climate resilience, equity, and inclusion as a misallocation of American taxpayers’ resources.
Despite Washington’s objections, other non-attending leaders including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Argentina’s Javier Milei have opted to send full delegations to participate in the negotiations.
With only the United States absent from the main proceedings, South African officials insist the summit will proceed robustly. Xolisa Mabhongo, one of South Africa’s G20 ambassadors, reaffirmed this view during an interview with national broadcaster SABC:
“The only country that is not in the room is the United States, and it is their choice not to be.”
As the first African nation to hold the rotating G20 presidency, South Africa’s determination to advance a development-centered global agenda remains unwavering even amid geopolitical tensions and diplomatic pressure from one of the world’s most influential powers.
