‘Regrettable’: President Ramaphosa on Trump’s decision to not invite South Africa for 2026 G20 Summit

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called the action by the United States regrettable on not inviting South Africa for the G20 Summit 2026 which will take place in Miami next year. He said that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country.

Calling the Summit hosted by South Africa this year as one of the most successful summits, he said, “The summit produced a declaration that affirmed the indisputable strength and value of multilateralism in response to the most pressing challenges facing the world.”

Addressing the remarks by Trump, President Ramaphosa said, “South Africa will continue to participate as a full, active and constructive member of the G20. We call on members of the G20 to reaffirm its continued operation in the spirit of multilateralism, based on consensus, with all members participating on an equal footing in all of its structures. It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country.”

He added, “Its G20 membership is at the behest of all other members. South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democratic country and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms. South Africa respects the sovereignty of all countries and will never insult or demean another country or its standing and worthiness in the community of nations.”

The South African President said in the post that as the United States was not present at the summit, instruments of the G20 Presidency were duly handed over to a US Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

“As one of the founding members of the G20, South Africa has always valued the spirit of consensus, collaboration and partnership that defines the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. In keeping with this approach, the United States was expected to participate in all the meetings of the G20 during South Africa’s Presidency but unfortunately, it elected not to attend the G20 Leaders Summit in Johannesburg out of its own volition.”

He appreciated the participation by US entities such as businesses and civil society organisations in large numbers in G20 related activities such as the B20 and the G20 Social.

PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA NOTES US STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA’S G20 PARTICIPATION

President @CyrilRamaphosa has noted the regrettable statement by President Donald Trump on South Africa’s participation in the 2026 G20 meetings.

The G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit attended by…

— The Presidency (@PresidencyZA) November 26, 2025

Earlier, US President Donald Trump has said that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, announcing the decision while sharply criticising the South African government over what he described as “horrific Human Rights abuses.”

In a post on his social media handle “Truth Social,’ Trump wrote, “the United States did not attend the G20 in South Africa because the South African Government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific Human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers”. “To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them”, he added.

Trump also criticised major US media outlets for not reporting on the issue. “Perhaps, worst of all, the soon to be out of business New York Times and the Fake News Media won’t issue a word against this genocide. That’s why all the Liars and Pretenders of the Radical Left Media are going out of business!” he said.

“At the conclusion of the G20, South Africa refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a Senior Representative from our US Embassy, who attended the Closing Ceremony. 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,” he added.

Announcing further steps, Trump added that the US would halt financial contributions to South Africa. “South Africa has demonstrated to the world that they are not a country worthy of membership anywhere, and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately,” he said.(ANI)