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Will Trump’s no-show eclipse South Africa’s G20 moment?
When it assumed the presidency of the G20 last year, South Africa hoped that as the first African country to host the gathering of world leaders, it could champion issues that mattered the most to developing nations.
For instance, it wanted the 20 heads of state from the world’s biggest economies to consider arguments that borrowing should be cheaper for developing countries, which pay two to four times more in interest on debts than more advanced economies.
Other themes of this weekend’s summit include securing climate change financing, increasing the participation of African countries in multilateral forums and ensuring that they get the best value out of their critical minerals.
But so far, discourse surrounding the meeting has been dominated by Donald Trump’s very public decision not to attend.
The US president said he would not go due to the widely discredited claim that South Africa’s white minority is the victim of large scale killings and land grabs.
The relationship between the two countries has become increasingly fraught over the past year – the US expelled the South African ambassador to Washington, cut some of its aid funding and slapped South Africa with tariffs of 30% (the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa).
And finally, after initially saying he would send Vice-President JD Vance to the G20 summit, Trump abruptly announced two weeks ago that no US representatives would attend.
The government in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, has tried to maintain a defiant but diplomatic tone. It has firmly denied claims of a white genocide and insisted that the summit would proceed with or without the US.
In a sudden about face, and with less than 48 hours to go before the G20 conference, the US announced that it would be sending a small team of its in-country diplomats to the handover ceremony, but that it wouldn’t take part in any discussions.
As tension between the two nations shows no sign of letting up, there are concerns that South African diplomats may be frozen out of meetings when the US takes over the G20 presidency next year.
South Africa’s Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, told reporters earlier this week that there’s only one way they would not attend next year’s meetings.
“We are members of the G20, we’re not an invited country. So we don’t need an invitation from anybody,” he said.
“If the United States do not want us to participate, the only way they can do it is to decline us visas.”
[BBC]
Latest News
Payment of Compensation to the people who have lost their cultivable lands in implementing the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 27-06-2012 to provide cultivable agricultural lands from the lower Uma Oya valley to 276 farming families in Hali-Ela, Walimada, and Uva Paranagama Divisional Secretariat Divisions who have lost their cultivable lands due to the acquisition of lands for the
Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.
However, the aforementioned proposal could not be implemented due to the encroachment of a large portion of the identified lands by unauthorized persons, heavy forest cover, the threats posed by wild elephants, remoteness from their original settlements, and difficulties in adapting to other environmental conditions and social anomalies.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to pay an estimated compensation of Rs. 12 lakhs for each of these 276 farming families, based on the
recommendations submitted by the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to provide solutions for the issues arising in the implementation of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.
In view of the prevailing war situation in the Middle East region and its impact on the economy, the Government has already taken several immediate measures to mitigate such effects.
In parallel, the need has been identified to manage state expenditure within existing fiscal constraints and approved state expenditure limits, while ensuring the continuity of essential public services.
Accordingly, taking into consideration the restrictions imposed on fuel issuance and the declaration of Wednesdays as holidays for government offices providing non-essential public services, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to continue the
payment of fuel allowances to Ministers, Members of Parliament, and public officers based on the fuel prices
prevailing as at 01-03- 2026, until further notice; and similarly, continue the payment of other allowances linked to fuel prices based on the fuel prices prevailing as at 01-03-2026.
In accordance with the guidance of the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros and the All Ceylon Shasanarakshaka Mandalaya, it has been identified as appropriate to conduct the State Vesak Festival for the year 2026 (Buddhist Era 2570) at the historic Medillawala Purana Viharaya in Thihagoda, Matara District, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and the Department of Buddhist Affairs.
It has been decided to conduct this year’s State Vesak Festival under the theme “Abhiththaretha Kalyane” (“Let us
hasten towards the common good”). Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint resolution furnished by the Hon. Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government and the. Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to: conduct the National Vesak Festival
centering the Medillawala Purana Viharaya in Thihagoda, Matara District; to declare the period from 27 May to 02 June 2026 as Vesak Week; and organize and implement various Buddhist religious programmes across the island during that period.
Payment of Compensation to the people who have lost their cultivable lands in implementing the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project
Draft Bill of the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka to be Gazzated
Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 to be amended
Management of State Expenditure during the Energy Crisis
Vesak week from 27 May to 02 June
Free Tourist Visas for Passport Holders of 39 Countries
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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