South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called US President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude South Africa from the 2026 G20 summit in Florida “regrettable.” Trump claimed in a social media post that South Africa refused to hand over the G20 presidency to a US embassy official during last week’s summit in Johannesburg.
“Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year,” Trump wrote.
While G20 membership does not require an invitation, access can be restricted through visa controls.
South Africa’s Response and Future Plans
Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said South Africa is prepared to move forward if visa restrictions prevent participation. “We will have to look beyond the G20 in the US,” he told the BBC. The government is now focused on maintaining momentum with other G20 members to advance the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit.
Tensions Over Summit Attendance
Trump boycotted the Johannesburg summit, citing unfounded claims that South Africa’s white minority faces widespread killings and farm seizures. Ramaphosa noted that while the US government did not attend, some American businesses and civil society representatives participated.
The South African government handed over G20 instruments to a US Embassy official at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation headquarters, a move Trump reportedly viewed as insufficient.
Trump’s Allegations and South Africa’s Rejection
Trump has repeatedly claimed that a “white genocide” is occurring in South Africa. On Wednesday, he accused the government of “killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them.” South Africa has consistently rejected these allegations as baseless and unsupported by credible evidence.
Ramaphosa expressed regret that, despite efforts to improve relations with the US, Trump continues to impose punitive measures based on misinformation.
Calls for G20 Solidarity
Following Trump’s announcement, South African officials urged other G20 members to defend the integrity of the group and protect the rights of all member states. Trump also declared on Truth Social that South Africa had “demonstrated to the world they were not a country worthy of membership anywhere” and halted “all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately.”
The G20 summit in Johannesburg, the first-ever held in Africa, concluded with a joint declaration emphasizing multilateral cooperation on climate change and economic inequality. Despite the US objections, the declaration was adopted, reflecting the collective commitment of participating nations.
