Ramaphosa Urges G20 to Uphold Multilateralism Amid US Tensions
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasized the need for multilateralism and adherence to international law as key to resolving global crises. Speaking to G20 foreign ministers, he highlighted the growing threats of intolerance, conflict, and climate change, warning that an “already fragile global coexistence” was under strain.
His remarks come amid tensions with the US, where the Trump administration’s “America First” policy has led to key officials boycotting G20 events. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio refused to attend the meeting, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced he would skip next week’s G20 finance ministers’ gathering, citing other commitments.
Rubio justified his absence by stating he would not “coddle anti-Americanism.” He criticized South Africa’s leadership of the G20, accusing it of using the platform to push for “solidarity, equality, & sustainability,” which he equated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and climate change initiatives.
South Africa, the first African country to lead the G20, aims to represent the interests of developing nations in negotiations with wealthier states. The G20 consists of 19 nations, the African Union (AU), and the European Union (EU), accounting for over 80% of global economic output and two-thirds of the world’s population.
The Johannesburg meeting included foreign ministers from China, Russia, France, and the UK, while the US was represented only by the deputy chief of mission from its South African embassy.
In his speech, Ramaphosa stressed that major global powers, including those within the G20, lacked consensus on addressing pressing global issues. He insisted that the UN Charter’s principles, multilateralism, and international law must “remain at the centre of all our endeavour.”
South Africa holds the G20 presidency until November 2025, when it is set to hand over leadership to the US. However, relations between the two countries have worsened under President Donald Trump. Tensions escalated after South Africa filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023. Trump responded by cutting aid to South Africa, accusing its government of “unjust and immoral practices” against the white Afrikaner minority.
With the US distancing itself from South Africa’s leadership, questions remain over how much progress the country can achieve during its G20 presidency.
