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South Africa will host the G20 summit this weekend, seeking commitments on debt relief for developing nations and efforts to address global inequality as the United States boycotts the gathering.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said ahead of the Nov. 22–23 summit that the American absence is “their loss.”
The U.S., the most powerful of the 19 member countries and the European Union, represents 85% of global GDP and roughly two-thirds of the world’s population.
President Donald Trump is skipping the summit, continuing a broader pullback from multilateral forums. The U.S. also chose not to send an official delegation to the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
Washington has withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and imposed unilateral tariffs on multiple partners, including a 30% tariff on South Africa.
Trump has also repeatedly criticized South Africa, including making false claims that white Afrikaners were being “killed and slaughtered.”
South Africa’s G20 theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” centers on supporting developing countries through debt relief and financing to manage climate-related disasters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously labeled the agenda “anti-American” and skipped early G20 ministerial meetings.
Pretoria argues debt repayment pressures reduce investment in vital sectors.
According to U.N. figures, Africa spent $70 per capita on debt interest between 2021 and 2023, compared with $63 on education and $44 on health.
Ramaphosa also plans to advocate for an International Inequalities Panel, modeled on the IPCC, following a G20-commissioned report led by economist Joseph Stiglitz that describes global inequality as a crisis threatening democracy and social cohesion.
Uncertainty remains over whether South Africa can secure a joint final declaration. Argentine delegates have reportedly been obstructive, and President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, is also boycotting the event.
China’s Premier Li Qiang is expected to promote multilateralism in the U.S. absence, saying recently that “economic globalisation and multipolarity are irreversible.”
Russia will send Presidential advisor Maxim Oreshkin instead of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The summit follows COP30 in Brazil, whose final negotiations may influence discussions in Johannesburg. It concludes a series of G20 presidencies led by Global South countries; Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023, and Brazil in 2024.
The United States will assume the next presidency, with Washington planning to center the 2026 Miami summit on economic cooperation at a venue owned by the Trump family.
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