Deputy President Paul Mashatile says the US stance under Donald Trump risks weakening cooperation within the G20, but insists South Africa remains committed to the bloc and will not boycott next year’s summit. Pretoria says it will continue engaging despite strained relations.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has warned that the current attitude of the United States towards South Africa poses a challenge to cooperation within the G20, but he has made it clear that Pretoria will not boycott next year’s summit which will be hosted by Washington.
Mashatile addressed the Parliamentary Press Gallery Association where he spoke openly about the cooling diplomatic climate between Pretoria and Washington. The United States refused to attend the G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg earlier this year and has indicated that it may reject the final declaration adopted by all other member states.
Mashatile said this posture from the US is “problematic” for multilateralism, but stressed that the G20 will not become dysfunctional because of a single member’s objections. He said the rest of the bloc remains committed to the outcomes adopted under South Africa’s presidency and that global cooperation cannot be held hostage to individual disputes.
While some have suggested that South Africa should sit out the 2026 summit in the United States, Mashatile ruled out any form of boycott. He said South Africa’s foreign policy is grounded in continued participation in multilateral forums and that disengagement would undermine the country’s own strategic interests.
He added that it was still unclear whether Pretoria would receive a formal invitation to the Miami summit, saying this will depend on the position adopted by the Trump administration, including visa matters. Nevertheless, South Africa will continue its preparations and will engage G20 partners on issues ranging from trade to global governance.
Mashatile’s comments align with the stance of President Cyril Ramaphosa who earlier reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the G20 despite tensions with Washington. The government has maintained that multilateral platforms must not be weakened by political disagreements and that South Africa intends to remain an active participant.
