 "US Secretary of State to skip G20 summit: 'South Africa doing bad things'")
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he will skip the G-20 summit in South Africa scheduled for February 20-21, accusing the host nation of pursuing an “anti-American” agenda.
In a post on X, Rubio said, "I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote 'solidarity, equality, & sustainability.' In other words: DEI and climate change. My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism."
South Africa, holding the G20 presidency from December 2024 to November 2025, will host a gathering of G20 foreign ministers in Johannesburg on February 20-21.
Donald Trump's stance on South Africa
Rubio's statement comes just two days after US President Donald Trump criticised South Africa's land reform measures, which are designed to address the inequalities created during the apartheid era.
On his Truth Social platform on February 2, Trump pledged to stop all future funding, stating, "South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY."
Trump further claimed that in South Africa, "a massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see," though he provided no details or evidence to support his allegations.
Since returning to the White House last month, Trump has consistently attacked DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Earlier this week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed Trump's assertions about land confiscation and expressed his willingness to explain his government's land reform policy to US officials.
News agency Associated Press reported that Ramaphosa even reached out to key Trump ally Elon Musk to express concerns over what he termed “disinformation” being circulated by the US president.
Land ownership remains a highly sensitive issue in South Africa, where most farmland is still held by white owners decades after apartheid ended. The government is under increasing pressure to implement reforms aimed at addressing historical injustices — an issue rooted in policies from the apartheid era when land was forcibly taken from the Black majority and its people confined to segregated areas.
G20 Johannesburg Summit
The G20 Johannesburg Summit will be the 20th meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20), to be held from November 22 to 23, 2025. It will be the first G20 summit held in South Africa and on the African continent. South Africa assumed the G20 presidency from December 1, 2024, to November 2025.
Key points to note regarding the G20 summit:
*Theme: South Africa has adopted the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” for its G20 Presidency.
*Priorities: South Africa will use its G20 Presidency to advocate for developing economies in Africa and the Global South. High-level priorities include inclusive economic growth, food security, and artificial intelligence and innovation for sustainable development.
*Foreign Ministers meeting: President Ramaphosa will host the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting on February 20.