By Palesa Matlala
- South Africa pushes ahead at the G20 summit after the United States walks out of all talks and rejects climate change in the final declaration.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa says skipping the summit undermines the first African G20 presidency and warns he will “hand over to an empty chair”.
The G20 summit ends with leaders agreeing on a final declaration, even though the United States refuses to take part in any of the meetings.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says leaders reach a strong consensus on the declaration after a week of tough negotiations.
This happens after the United States warns it will block any deal presented as a consensus.
A diplomatic note sent to Pretoria on 15 November says Washington will not attend any preparatory meetings or the leaders’ gathering.
United States President Donald Trump rejects South Africa’s agenda.
The agenda focuses on climate change, lowering debt costs and supporting developing countries.
The United States strongly objects to climate change being included in the declaration.
Trump has long denied that human activity causes global warming, and CNBC reports that US officials will block any mention of it.
Despite the tension, Ramaphosa thanks the attending leaders for working with South Africa “in good faith to produce a worthy G20 outcome document”.
He warns against allowing anyone to “diminish the value, the stature and the impact of the first African G20 presidency”.
Trump says no US officials will attend the summit.
He accuses South Africa’s Black-led government of persecuting white citizens, a claim widely discredited.
Ramaphosa says South Africa rejects an offer for a junior US official to attend the handover ceremony.
The G20 presidency rotates every year, and the United States is meant to host it in 2026.
“I will have to hand over to an empty chair,” says Ramaphosa.
Magwenya says the declaration is the result of a full year of work.
Pictured above: President Cyril Ramaphosa at the G20 summit
Image source: Supplied
