South Africa Condemns U.S. Exclusion from 2026 G20 Summit

South Africa has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude the country from next year’s G20 summit, describing it as a punitive measure based on distortions that undermine international cooperation.

The dispute between the two nations has intensified following Washington’s absence from the recent G20 meeting in Johannesburg. Trump cited alleged human rights abuses against white farmers and South Africa’s refusal to formally hand over the G20 presidency at the summit as reasons for the exclusion.

In response, South Africa’s presidency reaffirmed the country’s status as a sovereign G20 member and condemned what it called insults to its legitimacy and global standing. Pretoria emphasized that it would continue to engage fully in all G20 activities.

The handover of the G20 presidency took place quietly at the foreign ministry, with South Africa insisting the U.S. be represented at an appropriate level, rather than at the summit itself.

South Africa also noted that Trump’s decision ignores ongoing diplomatic efforts to improve relations between the two countries and reiterated that punitive actions based on misinformation are unacceptable.

Other points of contention include South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the imposition of 30 percent tariffs on South African goods, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

The G20 consists of 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union, representing about 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population.

South Africa’s leadership described the U.S. move as damaging to multilateral cooperation and vowed to continue active participation in global forums despite the exclusion.

South Africa rejects U.S. exclusion from the 2026 G20 summit, calling it punitive, reaffirming its sovereign G20 membership, and pledging continued engagement in global economic and diplomatic forums.