President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded sharply to Donald Trump's decision to boycott the upcoming G20 leaders' summit in South Africa. Trump cited unsubstantiated claims of white people being persecuted in South Africa as the reason for his boycott, stating that no US official would attend while these alleged human rights abuses continue.
Speaking to reporters, Ramaphosa dismissed Trump's claims and stated that the US's absence would be "their loss." He emphasized that "boycott politics doesn't work" and that the G20 summit would proceed as planned, regardless of the US's participation. Ramaphosa also highlighted the importance of the US, as the world's largest economy, playing a role in the G20.
The G20 summit is scheduled for November 22-23. Trump has previously expressed his disapproval of South Africa hosting the event, calling it a "total disgrace" on social media. He had initially planned to send Vice-President JD Vance in his place.
Trump's claims of widespread persecution of Afrikaners (South Africans of Dutch, French, and German descent) have been widely refuted. He has stated that Afrikaners would be welcome as refugees in the US, despite his efforts to restrict overall refugee intake.
Ramaphosa reiterated that boycotting achieves little and that decisions will be made regardless of the US's absence. South Africa currently holds the chair of the G20.
Key Takeaways:
- Trump boycotts G20 summit in South Africa over unsubstantiated claims.
- Ramaphosa dismisses Trump's claims and says the US's absence is "their loss."
- G20 summit will proceed as planned on November 22-23.
- Trump's claims of Afrikaner persecution have been widely refuted.
South Africa's Stance
South Africa remains committed to its role as chair of the G20 and will continue to work with other member nations to address global challenges, regardless of the US's decision to boycott the summit.