South Africa Condemns Exclusion From 2026 G20 Summit After Trump Bars Its Participation

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday voiced strong disapproval of US President Donald Trump’s decision to bar South Africa from the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami.

The South African government criticised Trump’s remarks as insulting, reaffirming that the country will “continue to participate as a full, active and constructive member of the G20.”

Ramaphosa’s statement followed Trump’s claims of “horrific human rights abuses” in South Africa and his assertion that the country would not be invited to next year’s summit. The US had also skipped the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, citing unfounded allegations of “white genocide” against Afrikaners. Despite America’s absence, Ramaphosa described the 2025 summit as successful, highlighting the declaration produced that reinforced multilateralism and international cooperation.

The South African President stressed that the nation respects the sovereignty of other countries and expects the same treatment in return. “South Africa does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in global platforms,” the statement said. It urged G20 members to uphold consensus-based multilateralism, with all nations participating on equal footing.

Trump, in his social media post, accused South Africa of failing to address human rights violations against white farmers and criticised major US media for allegedly ignoring the issue. South Africa countered that it had formally handed over G20 Presidency instruments to a US Embassy official, refuting Trump’s claim that it refused the handover.

The diplomatic spat underscores ongoing tensions between Washington and Pretoria, despite repeated attempts by Ramaphosa’s administration to reset bilateral relations.