Ramaphosa confirms US U-turn on G20 Summit boycott

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the US has made a U-turn on its plans to boycott the G20 Leaders Summit this weekend.

Ramaphosa made this announcement during a European Union leaders' event at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday evening.

The US delegation attending the summit is expected to be led by officials from the embassy in Pretoria.

Despite the announcement coming at the eleventh hour, Ramaphosa welcomed the decision, adding that it was a positive sign, saying that boycott politics do not work.

"We have received notice from the United States concerning participation in the G20 Leaders’ Summit. This is a notice that is still in discussion. There has been a change of mind about participation in one shape, form, or another," the President stated.

Ramaphosa revealed that at this stage, he does not know how the US participation will be formulated, as the notice had come at the last hour, with most world leaders already arriving in the country.

"These discussions are ongoing. Therefore, we do need to engage in those types of discussions to see how practical it is and what it finally really means. However, in a way, we see this as a positive sign," he said.

US President Donald Trump had previously declared that the US would not attend the G20 Summit and that no official would participate in any G20 meeting. His boycott of the global gathering came as he repeated claims of an alleged white genocide in the country-claims that have been repeatedly debunked.

Earlier this year, Trump announced that he would not be attending the event and that instead, his  Vice President J.D. Vance would represent the country. However, just weeks before the summit, he changed his mind and ordered a total boycott.

His snub came as tensions between the two countries had been on a downward spiral ever since he took office for his second term, culminating in a meeting with Ramaphosa at the Oval Office in May.

Despite the subtle U-turn, Ramaphosa took a veiled swipe at Trump earlier on Thursday while delivering his closing address at the G20 Social Summit.

Ramaphosa said the time for using global gatherings to canvas for a 'narrow global agenda' had come to an end.

He said no country should be allowed to bully another country, adding that all countries, regardless of geographical location, should be treated as equals.

"It cannot be that a country’s geographical location or income level or army determines who has a voice, and who is spoken down to. This means that there should be no bullying of one nation by another nation. We are all equal."

Although the details on who will represent the US at the G20 Summit have not been confirmed, Marc Dillard, who serves as US Deputy Chief of Mission to South Africa, Kenya, and Malawi, is one of the most senior embassy representatives in the country.

According to the US Embassy in South Africa's website, Dillard has served in Washington and abroad, was Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires,  in Nairobi and Budapest and as Director of the Office of Economic Policy and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. 

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za