In the wake of a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, a diplomatic storm has erupted between South Africa and the United States. The dispute centers on the upcoming 2026 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, where the US, under President Donald Trump’s new administration, has declared that South Africa will not be invited unless it undertakes what Washington calls “major reforms.” The controversy has cast a spotlight on the complexities of global governance, national sovereignty, and the fragile fabric of international alliances.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the mounting tensions on December 4, 2025, at Cosatu’s Golf Day in Johannesburg. Despite swirling reports that the United States intends to exclude South Africa from the 2026 summit, Ramaphosa was resolute: “The United States has said that South Africa will not be invited. We have not seen that in writing yet. We've only seen media reports. We are yet to receive anything formally, and we will deal with that when it comes,” he told journalists, according to the Sunday Tribune. He emphasized that South Africa remains a full member of the G20 and has not received any official notification from the US government regarding its exclusion.
Ramaphosa was quick to underscore the achievements of South Africa’s recent G20 presidency. “We have held a very successful G20. And this is not only being said by us – it is said by many other people around the world. They are saying South Africa’s presidency of the G20 was a very successful process. The declaration that was adopted is a forward-looking declaration that will help drive many of the changes we identified.” The 2025 summit in Johannesburg, which unfolded under the theme of solidarity, equality, and sustainability, was widely hailed as a “people’s G20,” even as the US chose to boycott the event.
The US, meanwhile, has taken a hardline stance. On December 1, 2025, Washington formally assumed the 12-month presidency of the G20. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a public letter, announced that President Trump “will not be extending an invitation” to South Africa unless it makes “the tough decisions needed to fix its broken system.” Rubio repeated Trump’s earlier claims of “white genocide” in South Africa, accused Ramaphosa of blocking US inputs during the Johannesburg summit, and characterized the South African government as “radical,” despite its broad 10-party unity coalition. According to Forbes, Rubio went so far as to assert that Ramaphosa had “tarnished” the G20’s reputation, a charge South African officials flatly deny.
The roots of the US-South Africa spat run deeper than this latest summit cycle. In the lead-up to the Johannesburg meeting, Trump’s administration announced a US boycott, citing concerns over land expropriation, attacks on white farmers, and what he called “white genocide.” These allegations have been consistently and strongly rejected by Pretoria. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, directly addressed the brutality claims, noting that South Africa is “the only African country in the top 40 global agricultural exporters.” Lamola also pointed out that “it is a matter of public record that the United States chose not to attend our G20 meetings.”
Lamola’s response to Rubio’s letter was measured but firm. He congratulated Washington for regaining the G20 presidency but reminded the US that “South Africa is a founding member of the G20, no single member of the G20 has a unilateral right to exclude South Africa.” He added, “Secretary Rubio, the world is watching. It is growing weary of double standards… We do not seek your approval for our path. Our path is our own, chosen by our people and guided by our sovereign laws. But we do seek, and we will always extend, a hand of respectful partnership…”
In the aftermath of the Johannesburg summit, the transfer of G20 leadership from South Africa to the US was itself a point of contention. South Africa initially refused to hand over the G20 presidency to a junior US diplomat, insisting the transfer be made to a head of state, minister, or senior envoy. The handover was eventually completed quietly at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in Pretoria, a detail reported by the Sunday Tribune. Despite these diplomatic hiccups, the summit concluded with world leaders—minus the US—symbolically holding hands on stage, signaling unity between the Global South and the Global North.
Asked whether Trump’s exclusionary stance was a source of personal concern, Ramaphosa was unflappable. “No, I don’t have sleepless nights. All we want, really, as South Africa, is to be treated as an equal, sovereign country. A country that respects other countries, that fosters their success and prosperity. We wish no country ill. We do not have enemies – we have friends.” He reiterated that South Africa’s foreign policy is “firmly rooted in respect,” adding, “We will always treat every country with due regard, respect and great consideration. That is who we are, and that is very much a part of our foreign policy.”
Pressed on whether South Africa would lobby other nations to boycott the Miami summit in protest, Ramaphosa was unequivocal: “No, no, we don't need to mobilise anyone. We’re not wired that way as South Africa. Every country must make its own decisions. We don’t peddle our role in any way. Countries respect us for what we are, and they applauded our role in the G20.”
As the United States gears up for its turn at the G20 helm, Washington’s stated priorities include returning the group to its “core mission of driving economic growth and prosperity,” with a focus on cutting regulatory burdens, securing energy supply chains, and advancing technological innovation. Whether the US can achieve these goals while sidelining a founding member remains an open—and contentious—question.
Inside South Africa, the diplomatic row comes at a politically sensitive moment. Ramaphosa has expressed confidence ahead of the ANC’s National General Council, scheduled for December 8–12, 2025, even as rumors swirl about internal party plots to unseat him—rumors denied by senior government officials. For now, Ramaphosa remains focused on projecting stability and unity, both at home and on the global stage.
The standoff between South Africa and the United States over G20 participation is more than just a spat between two nations. It’s a test case for the principles of multilateralism, the limits of unilateral action in global forums, and the enduring tug-of-war between national interests and international cooperation. As the world watches, both sides seem determined to stand their ground—each in the name of sovereignty, legitimacy, and, perhaps, pride.
