JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The United States has delivered an eleventh-hour request to South Africa seeking to attend the weekend G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, signaling a potential reversal of President Donald Trump’s stated boycott of the event.
The request, which arrived late on Thursday, less than 48 hours before the summit’s commencement, was received by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa confirmed receiving a notice from the United States indicating “a change of mind about participating in one shape or the other in the summit,” which he described as “a positive sign.” He added that discussions regarding the nature and logistics of their participation are still ongoing.
Despite the report, Anna Kelly, the US Deputy Press Secretary, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the announcement of a change was “fake news.” However, a diplomatic note circulated in South Africa specifically requested that Marc Dillard, the US Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, take part in the closing session where South Africa is scheduled to hand over the G20 presidency to the US.
Logistical challenges and the ’empty chair’
The late request created logistical issues, as the speaking order for the summit had already been established.
Ramaphosa stated that the notice arrived as he was engaged in a trilateral meeting with the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula van der Leyen, ahead of signing agreements on clean trade and raw materials.
“This comes really at the late hour before the summit begins,” Ramaphosa told journalists at a press conference following the meeting in the Sandton Convention Centre. “Therefore, we need to engage in those type of discussions to see how practical it is, and what it finally really needs. In a way, we see this as a positive sign.”
Ramaphosa confirmed that although the US delegation had initially requested that the Chargé d’Affaires for South Africa, David Greene, receive the summit decisions, provision was made for an empty chair in the main hall.
Critique of boycott policies
Commenting on the previous US decision not to send representatives to the first G20 summit held on African soil, Ramaphosa offered a pointed critique of the policy itself.
“Boycott politics never work. It’s always best to be inside the tent than outside of the tent. The tent is the G20. All countries are here,” he said.
President Trump had previously cited his belief, which South Africa called wrongful, that white people were being killed in the country as the reason for his decision to boycott.
Ramaphosa concluded by confirming that South Africa was favourably considering the new request.
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“The United States is a member of the G20. They are the original member of the G20, so, they have the right to be here. And all we will be seeking to do is to look at the various practicalities, logistical and otherwise, for them to participate.
“They have a seat at the round table, as you will see Saturday [when the summit kicks off]. There is a seat for the United States. So, when President Trump said they are not coming, that seat still remains empty, but hopefully it will be occupied,” Ramaphosa stated.
Representatives from the US Chamber of Commerce had already attended the B20, the high-level business summit, earlier in the week.
