The first G20 leaders’ summit to be held in Africa has begun under a cloud after US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw the United States entirely from the event in Johannesburg on November 22 and 23, 2025. This marks the first time in the forum’s 26-year history that a member country has refused to participate at any level.
Trump’s decision stems from his allegations that white Afrikaners in South Africa are being targeted and mistreated. His Trump
An unprecedented absence
Unlike previous disagreements within the G20, this withdrawal is total. Trump blocked not only senior officials but also all American representatives from attending any part of the summit. South Africa was formally informed, and other member states were notified that the US seat would remain vacant.
Only a representative from the US Embassy in Pretoria will appear during the symbolic closing handover as this step cannot legally be skipped.
The absence is particularly significant because the United States is next in line to take over the G20 presidency. Traditionally, the incoming host participates at the preceding summit to ensure continuity. This year, Trump declined to travel, cancelled plans to send Vice President JD Vance and ordered all agencies to stay away.
Diplomats said the decision has derailed negotiations on a joint statement. One European official told the Financial Times, “It’s bleak… There’s really nothing that we can hope to achieve without the Americans engaging.”
Another said, “We knew Trump hates this kind of thing but it’s one thing to be difficult, and another to completely blow it up.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticised the move but said the summit would proceed. “If you boycott an event or a process, you are the greatest loser because the show will go on,” he said. He added, “I don’t want to hand over to an empty chair, but the empty chair will be there.”
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola echoed this, stating, “It is important that a declaration must be adopted by the countries that are present, because the institution cannot be bogged down by someone’s [absence].”
Why Trump is boycotting
Trump has linked his decision to claims that white Afrikaners are under threat. He has said they are being “slaughtered” and that their property is being taken away. He has also offered refugee status to Afrikaners willing to leave, with the first group of 59 arriving in the US in May.
South Africa has rejected these claims. Police data and independent studies show that farm attacks are not racially targeted and form a small part of overall crime. In the first quarter of this year, six murders occurred on farms, five victims were Black and one was white.
The narrative has also been disputed by Afrikaners themselves. A group of Afrikaner professionals said they reject the idea they are “victims of racial persecution in post-apartheid South Africa” and objected to being used as “pawns” in foreign political debates.
Other notable absences
The US is not the only major power missing. Chinese President Xi Jinping is not attending and has sent Premier Li Qiang instead. Russia is represented by lower-level officials due to the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. Argentina’s President Javier Milei has also chosen to stay away, citing political alignment with Trump.
Leaders from India, France, Germany and the UK are present, but the missing figures have changed the character of the summit.
What South Africa wanted to highlight
South Africa hoped to use the summit to project Africa’s growing global role. Its agenda focused on climate resilience, debt relief, green financing and fairer global wealth distribution.
A report commissioned by South Africa and led by Joseph Stiglitz described a global “inequality emergency” and warned of widening gaps that threaten stability. Pretoria proposed an independent international body to monitor inequality, similar to the IPCC.
Civil society groups also staged parallel protests, condemning what they called “a global economic system rigged in favour of elites and billionaires.”
Why this boycott matters
The G20 includes the world’s most powerful economies and acts as a bridge between rich nations and developing countries. It has no enforcement powers and relies on consensus and political commitment.
With the US absent, diplomats believe a consensus-based declaration will not be possible. This raises concerns about the forum’s credibility and its ability to act as a space for global coordination.
Ramaphosa had hoped this summit would strengthen Africa’s voice in global decision-making. Instead, attention has shifted to uncertainty over the G20’s future.
Trump has questioned the relevance of the group, saying it has “become basically the G100,” and has promised a more streamlined approach when the US assumes the presidency.
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