As the world’s most powerful economies prepare to gather for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa later this month, the event is already making headlines for reasons that go far beyond its ambitious agenda. South Africa, hosting the summit for the first time on African soil, is facing both an historic opportunity and a diplomatic test, as the United States—under President Donald Trump—has announced it will boycott the meeting. The absence of the world’s largest economy has sent ripples through diplomatic circles, but South African officials are standing firm, insisting the G20 is now “too big to fail.”
In a pointed interview with ANI, South African High Commissioner to India Anil Sooklal described the U.S. decision as “unfortunate,” but was quick to add that the G20’s strength no longer depends on any single nation. “It will have an impact. I mean, the reality is the USA is the most powerful global nation, the largest global economy, and we must recall that in 2008, when we had the global financial crisis, it was under the leadership of the USA that the first summit of the G20 was conducted in Washington in November 2008. So the USA was a moving force in bringing us together, leaders from the global north and south as a collective and steering this process. It’s unfortunate that President Trump and the USA have decided not to attend the final summit in this first round of summits in South Africa. So even though the USA will not be present at the table, as has been stated by President Trump, the G20 has been established as a powerful global force. It’s not dependent any longer on any one country. So the G20 has become, I would say, it’s too big to fail,” Sooklal emphasized, according to ANI and Devdiscourse.
The stakes for this year’s summit are particularly high. For the first time, Africa is not only hosting the gathering but is being represented solely by South Africa, a fact that carries symbolic weight. “I think it’s important to contextualise this summit. It’s the first time that the summit is being hosted by an African country. South Africa is the sole G20 member from the African continent. So from a symbolic point of view, this is a very important event pertaining not just to South Africa but the African continent, demonstrating that Africa is capable of providing global leadership,” Sooklal observed.
The summit’s theme—solidarity, equality, and sustainability—reflects the priorities South Africa hopes to champion. Key items on the agenda include inclusive growth, reducing inequality, boosting employment, advancing industrialisation, ensuring food security, developing frameworks for AI governance, addressing debt sustainability, and securing access to critical minerals. These topics are hardly academic; they strike at the heart of global challenges facing both developed and developing nations. “It’s inevitable that these issues will come to the table. If it’s not discussed, I think people will lose faith in the ability of the G20 to provide guidance and leadership,” Sooklal noted, highlighting the expectation that contentious trade issues will also be up for debate.
Yet the summit’s unity is being tested by more than just economic priorities. The U.S. boycott, which President Trump justified as a response to what his administration sees as the “politicisation” of the G20 agenda, has drawn criticism and concern. According to the Kremlin, the U.S. absence coincides with heightened tensions over American military activity near Venezuela. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov warned against Trump’s Operation Southern Spear and any U.S. military buildup in the region, saying such moves risk “destabilising the Caribbean.” Peskov went further, accusing Washington of politicizing the G20’s agenda, a charge that has only added to the summit’s diplomatic complexity. Meanwhile, Russia has been touting its own regional alliances, with Peskov praising North Korean troops for their efforts clearing mines in Russia’s Kursk region—a reminder that global alliances are shifting, sometimes in unpredictable ways.
Against this backdrop, South Africa’s role as host takes on new significance. The country is not only seeking to showcase Africa’s ability to lead on the world stage but is also being called upon to navigate an increasingly fraught geopolitical environment. The summit will address not only issues like trade and technology but also the need for global unity against terrorism. South Africa has recently condemned a terrorist incident at Delhi’s Red Fort, with Sooklal stating, “Terrorism in all its forms and wherever it may occur must be condemned, and we have to work as a collective to totally eradicate terrorism from the face of this earth.”
While the absence of the United States is a blow, South Africa and its partners are determined to project stability and resolve. Sooklal expressed optimism about the future, particularly as India prepares to take over the BRICS chairmanship in January 2026. “Well, I think as the BRICS family, we are very excited by India’s chairship of BRICS starting first of January 2026 because we know the energy that India brings to the table. The BRICS 10 account for close to 40% of global GDP, as against the 29% of the G7,” he told ANI. This shift in leadership, he suggested, could herald a new era of cooperation among emerging economies, even as traditional alliances are strained.
For many observers, the G20’s ability to function in the absence of its most powerful member will be a litmus test for the forum’s resilience. The group was forged in the crucible of the 2008 financial crisis, when U.S. leadership was indispensable. Now, with the world facing a different set of challenges—ranging from economic inequality to climate change and digital disruption—the G20 must prove that its strength lies in collective action, not just in the presence of superpowers.
Trade disputes, debt crises, and the regulation of artificial intelligence may not grab headlines in the same way as high-profile diplomatic snubs, but these issues will shape the global economy for years to come. The South African summit’s focus on inclusivity and sustainability is a reminder that the world’s problems are interconnected—and that solutions require broad-based cooperation.
As the summit approaches, the world will be watching not only for policy breakthroughs but also for signs that the G20 can weather political storms and remain a cornerstone of global governance. Whether South Africa’s optimism is justified will soon be put to the test. But one thing is clear: the G20, in the eyes of many, has grown too big—and too important—to fail.
