South Africa has confirmed a temporary withdrawal from active G20 engagement during the United States’ presidency, citing rising diplomatic tensions with Washington. The rift intensified after President Donald Trump boycotted the 2025 G20 summit in South Africa and warned the country against future participation under US leadership. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana described the pullback as a pragmatic, short-term move to avoid a broader crisis. While analysts warn the decision leaves Africa underrepresented in a forum where South Africa is the only permanent African member and the African Union (AU) represents the continent institutionally, the South African government insists the AU can fill the void. Pretoria hopes to rejoin fully when the UK assumes the G20 presidency in 2027, underscoring its commitment to multilateral leadership.
RFI
