South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that no nation should intimidate another, in a pointed swipe at the United States, which has chosen to boycott this weekend’s G20 summit of major economies in South Africa.
The United States has also insisted that South Africa refrain from issuing the usual joint communiqué after the meeting, which will gather about 40 countries.
“It cannot be that a country’s geographical location or income or army determines who has a voice and who is spoken down to,” Ramaphosa told participants at a pre-summit event, in remarks clearly aimed at Washington.
“It basically means there should be no bullying of one nation by another,” he said while addressing civil society groups ahead of the November 22–23 summit in Johannesburg.
Ties between Pretoria and Washington have deteriorated sharply this year over several domestic and geopolitical disagreements.
In a diplomatic note, the US embassy confirmed it would skip the summit, saying South Africa’s G20 agenda “run counter to the US policy views and we cannot support consensus on any documents negotiated under your presidency.”
South Africa responded that the US absence undermines its own influence.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola insisted Pretoria would still pursue a leaders’ declaration.
“We will not be told by anyone who is absent that we cannot adopt a declaration or make any decisions at the summit,” he said after Ramaphosa’s address.
“If we do not end up with a declaration, it will not be on the basis that someone who is absent told us,” he added.
South Africa selected “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” as the theme for its G20 presidency, which includes 19 countries and two regional blocs—the European Union and African Union.
The G20 represents 85 percent of the world’s GDP and roughly two-thirds of its population.
This year’s agenda prioritises boosting disaster resilience, tackling debt challenges for low-income states, financing a “just energy transition,” and leveraging “critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.”
It also marks the first time the G20 summit is being hosted on African soil.
