US Bars South Africa from G20 Summit, Pretoria Demands Equal Treatment
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa criticized the United States on Thursday after Washington announced it would exclude Pretoria from G20 events during the US presidency. South African officials said the country is a full G20 member and expects to be treated equally.
The US assumed the G20 presidency this month and has largely ignored South Africa’s previous tenure, including last month’s summit, escalating a months-long dispute between Washington and Pretoria.
In a sharp statement on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed President Donald Trump’s earlier remarks, confirming that South Africa would not be invited to any G20 events during the US presidency, including a summit scheduled in Miami. Rubio accused South Africa of promoting “radical agendas” that ignored US objections.
Responding to the announcement, President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters, “We have yet to receive the decision in writing, and we will respond when it comes.” He stressed that South Africa’s previous G20 presidency had been widely praised internationally and emphasized, “All we want is to be treated as an equal, sovereign country that respects others and fosters global prosperity.”
The G20 group includes the world’s leading economies along with the European Union and the African Union. Together, its members account for 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population.
South Africa’s government reaffirmed its commitment to global cooperation and indicated it would continue participating in international forums while seeking recognition of its equal status within the G20.
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