Trump excludes South Africa from the first G20 meeting

South Africa has not been invited to the upcoming G20 sherpas meeting scheduled for 15 and 16 December 2025 in Washington. 

The exclusion was confirmed after the United States extended invitations to all other G20 member nations and singled out SA.

Furthermore, President Donald Trump said South Africa would not be invited to next year's meeting, which he plans to host at his own golf resort in Miami.

Professor Christopher Isike, Director of the African Centre for the Study of the United States at the University of Pretoria, weighed in on the implications of this exclusion. Speaking to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), he noted that failing to attend next year’s G20 meetings means that South Africa will be unable to shape or influence important agendas or advance decisions reached in previous summits. 

"It won't be able to advance some of the decisions which were reached in the recent G20. This is not good for South Africa and it's also not good for the US in many ways."

However, Ike said SA stands a chance to have its voice heard in 2027 when the G20 will be held in the United Kingdom.

"Some of the decisions that were reached in the 2025 summit are policies which the UK believes in. So, it's safe to say that none of the agendas pushed forward by SA will be implemented by the US under its presidency but everything is transept and there's much to worry about," he said.

The two countries are at odds over a range of domestic and foreign policies - a standoff that came to a head after Washington skipped the G20 summit hosted by South Africa.

Trump had cited what he described as "horrific human right abuses" endured by white farmers, and South Africa's refusal to symbolically hand off the G20 presidency at the end of the Johannesburg summit to the United States.

He further singled out South Africa for harsh treatment on a number of issues since he returned to the White House in January, most notably on his false claims of a "white genocide" in the country.

Responding to the exclusion from next year's G20 summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa will continue to participate fully and remain an active and constructive member of the G20 countries.

“Despite the challenges and misunderstandings that have arisen, South Africa remains a firm and unwavering friend of the American people. We recall the great solidarity movement in the United States that stood by our side in our struggle for democracy and freedom. We recall how the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution inspired us as we wrote our democratic constitution. We offer the people of the United States nothing but goodwill and friendship," he said.

Since Trump took over the office for his second term in January, froze funding from programmes such as the US Presidency’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and USAID. 

This was after South Africa opened a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in December 2024.

He also imposed a 30% “reciprocal” tariff on South African exports. 

However, Ramaphosa said South Africa will continue to engage in dialogue with the US government, and to do so with respect and with dignity as equal sovereign countries.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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