Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer touched down in Johannesburg on November 21, 2025, stepping onto the tarmac at O.R. Tambo International Airport to the rhythmic beats of a South African pantsula dance troupe. Greeted by local officials and a flurry of cameras, Starmer’s arrival marked the beginning of a high-stakes diplomatic and economic mission at the annual G20 summit—the first ever held on African soil.
This year’s gathering of the world’s 20 largest economies, scheduled for November 22-23, has been overshadowed by notable absences and sharp political tensions. Perhaps most headline-grabbing is former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision not to attend, citing widely discredited claims of persecution against white South Africans. According to BBC and other outlets, Trump labeled the summit a “total disgrace” on social media and repeated his accusations, which have been rejected by both South African leaders and the international community. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shot back, calling the U.S. absence “their loss” and insisting, “boycott politics doesn’t work.” None of South Africa’s political parties, including those representing Afrikaners, have claimed there is a genocide or systematic persecution of whites in the country.
Trump’s boycott is not the only absence raising eyebrows. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have also opted out, with China sending Premier Li Qiang in Xi’s place. The summit, designed as a forum for cooperation on global economic and security challenges, is taking place in what Starmer described as a “volatile” time for both trade and security. As the world’s eyes turn to Johannesburg, the stakes for the UK—and for Starmer personally—could hardly be higher.
Starmer, often nicknamed “never here Keir” by critics due to his frequent foreign trips, has been keen to frame his attendance as not just a diplomatic necessity but a direct investment in Britain’s economic future. “If you want to deal with the cost of living and make people better off with good, secure jobs, investment from G20 partners and allies is really important,” he told reporters en route to South Africa. “Those discussions from those relations … are measured in real jobs back in the UK that are really important when the economy and the cost of living is the most important thing.” He pointed to the 200,000 jobs generated in the UK from G20 countries over the past three years as evidence of the summit’s tangible benefits.
Downing Street has strongly defended the timing of Starmer’s trip, which comes just days before Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to unveil a potentially controversial budget, likely featuring billions in new tax rises and a freeze on income tax thresholds. “Whenever the Prime Minister is overseas it is focused on the priorities of people in this country,” a No 10 spokesperson said, emphasizing that international engagement is key to strengthening support for Ukraine and delivering economic growth at home.
Business and trade are at the heart of Starmer’s agenda in Johannesburg. Before the summit’s formal opening, he visited a Gautrain depot to see Derby-built trains in action and announced a raft of new deals. Chief among them: a partnership under which UK government-owned Crossrail International will provide strategic advice and consultancy services to South Africa’s railways. The UK has also inked a similar deal with Vietnam to support a digital overhaul of its railway system. Other agreements unveiled include a UK-South Africa mutual recognition arrangement projected to boost British exports by up to £700 million over five years, a £35 million contract for British Steel to supply Turkey’s high-speed rail network, a £370 million Rolls-Royce jet engine deal with Algeria, and a contract for Babcock to help maintain the South African navy’s submarines. In total, Starmer trumpeted deals worth £400 million for trains, planes, and submarines.
“I will focus on the deals we can do, the business we can do, with our partner countries and make sure that the work we do internationally is impacting directly at home,” Starmer said, underscoring the link between global engagement and domestic economic health. “If you want to deal with the cost of living and make people better off with good secure jobs, investment from G20 partners and allies is really important.”
But business wasn’t the only item on the agenda. Starmer’s visit is also about shoring up international support for Ukraine as the war with Russia grinds on. On the sidelines of the summit, he joined French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss a U.S.-backed peace plan. According to BBC, Zelensky expressed appreciation for U.S. efforts but stressed, “We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace.” There is deep unease in Kyiv and among European allies over leaked details of the plan, which reportedly would require Ukraine to cede parts of the Donetsk region, reduce its army, and pledge not to join NATO—conditions Ukraine has previously ruled out.
Starmer, Macron, and Merz reiterated their commitment to Ukraine’s right to self-determination. “That was an opportunity for us to express, again, our support for Ukraine and the principle that’s very important, which is all matters to do with Ukraine must be determined ultimately by Ukraine,” Starmer told broadcasters at the train depot.
While Starmer’s approach to China remains cautious—he declined to say whether he would meet Li Qiang—he has insisted he will “robustly” protect British national interests. “Co-operate where we can and challenge where we must, particularly on national security,” he said, signaling a pragmatic but vigilant stance toward Beijing.
South Africa, which currently holds the rotating G20 presidency, has sought to use the summit to showcase the continent’s economic potential. Downing Street has echoed this optimism, pointing out that half of Africans are under 20 and that more than a quarter of the world’s population will live in Africa by 2050—making the continent a key market for UK businesses. Starmer is expected to meet a series of Indo-Pacific and African leaders during the summit, underscoring the UK’s intent to strengthen ties beyond Europe and North America.
Back in Westminster, Starmer’s trip has sparked debate. Some critics question the optics of the Prime Minister traveling abroad so close to the Budget, especially as the government prepares to ask Britons to tighten their belts. Starmer, for his part, has brushed aside the criticism, insisting that international engagement is essential for addressing the economic and security challenges facing the UK. “I’m optimistic about the future. I do think if we get this right our country has a great future,” he said, reflecting on the turbulent years since the 2008 financial crash, Brexit, Covid, and the war in Ukraine.
As the G20 summit unfolds in Johannesburg, the absence of some of the world’s most powerful leaders is impossible to ignore. Yet for Starmer, the gathering offers a crucial platform to pursue trade, defend democratic values, and reinforce alliances—at a moment when the world feels anything but predictable.
