The United States has formally warned South Africa not to issue a joint G-20 summit statement this year, declaring it will reject any document presented as a consensus due to its boycott of the Johannesburg event. Washington has notified G20 members of its opposition, threatening to disrupt what would normally be a unified Leaders’ Declaration for the group potentially making this the first G20 summit without such an outcome since 2008.
Despite the standoff, South Africa, with strong backing from Brazil and several other countries, is determined to push for a full summit declaration addressing their shared priorities, such as debt relief for developing nations and bridging global inequalities. President Ramaphosa has publicly stated that the US absence and stance are “their loss,” while reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to solidarity alongside Brazil and others in the G20 “Global South” bloc.
This diplomatic clash underscores tensions over global governance, as South Africa seeks consensus on issues like climate action and economic equity, even as Washington threatens to block agreement and vows to reject any statement that claims consensus.
