South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will not hand over the G20 presidency to a US embassy representative, the government confirmed Saturday. The announcement follows US President Donald Trump’s refusal to attend the Johannesburg summit, scheduled to conclude Sunday, with Washington set to assume the 2026 G20 presidency.
The Trump administration said it would send the US embassy’s charge d’affaires for the ceremonial handover, a move rejected by South Africa’s leadership. “President Ramaphosa will not be handing over to the charge d’affaires from the US,” Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told journalists, emphasising proper protocol.
Lamola added that Washington could still send a head of state, minister, or special envoy appointed by the president to represent the country. Otherwise, a formal handover could occur at government offices between officials of equivalent rank, he said, maintaining diplomatic decorum.
Trump’s absence follows his withdrawal from other multilateral events and tensions with Pretoria, including disputes over claims of persecution of white South Africans. Ahead of the summit, the US embassy informed South Africa that its priorities “run counter” to US policy, preventing a joint declaration after the meeting.
Nearly two dozen world leaders attended the summit, which adopted a declaration calling for peace in Ukraine, Sudan, the DRC, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The declaration also urged safeguards for the global supply of critical minerals, highlighting the summit’s economic and strategic focus amid global tensions. “We cannot be held back by one country,” presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya told reporters, underlining South Africa’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy.