US not joining G20 discussions, will only attend declaration handover
Written by Mohale FM on November 21, 2025
The United States (US) has sought to clarify its position on whether it has had a change of mind regarding attendance of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.
The White House released a short statement saying its chargé d’affaires in Pretoria will attend the declaration handover ceremony as a formality.
However, the United States says it is not joining the G20 discussions.
The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt said the United States will not participate in official talks at the G20 in South Africa and went on to say they saw the South African President running his mouth a little bit against the United States and the President of the United States earlier today, saying that language is not appreciated by the president or his team.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said Ramaphosa will not hand over the G20 Summit to a chargé d’affaires. Ramaphosa had said he welcomed what appeared to be renewed interest from the US to participate in some form.
Meanwhile, International Relations Analyst Professor Christopher Isike has cautioned that the United States may have undermined its own strategic interests by opting out of the G20 Summit.
