Escalation: United States warns South Africa against issuing a joint declaration at G20 summit
US President Donald Trump hands papers with news clippings of alleged farm murders to President Cyril Ramaphosa during a heated meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. In the latest move, the US has warned South Africa not to issue a joint leaders’ declaration at the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
Image: File/ AFP
The United States has warned South Africa not to issue a joint leaders’ declaration at the G20 summit taking place in Johannesburg this weekend, saying it will block any outcome presented as a consensus position.
In a diplomatic communication delivered to Pretoria on November 15, Washington said it would not take part in preparatory meetings before the summit or in the gathering of world leaders.
According to Bloomberg News — an international financial and political news organisation based in New York that reviewed a copy of the document — the United States told South Africa that it would not support any declaration described as a consensus position of the G20. The note reportedly said Pretoria’s priorities for the summit were at odds with Washington’s policy positions.
“The US opposes issuance of any G20 summit outcome document under the premise of a consensus G20 position, without US agreement,” the communication stated.
“If a deliverable is issued under your presidency, it will be framed solely as a chair’s statement to accurately reflect the absence of consensus.”
Despite Washington’s opposition, South Africa is continuing efforts to secure a joint declaration when the two-day summit ends on Sunday. Securing a declaration is a top priority for Pretoria, which has sought to build on the agenda advanced by recent G20 hosts from the Global South — Indonesia, India and Brazil.
The United States will assume the G20 presidency in December.
South African officials have publicly rejected the idea of ending the summit without a statement. Earlier this week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola told journalists in Johannesburg that there will be a declaration at the end of the summit.
The Johannesburg summit is the first G20 gathering to be hosted on African soil and was expected to showcase Africa’s growing influence in global policy debates. However, the US boycott — and its insistence that no joint declaration be issued — has cast a shadow over proceedings.
A leaders’ declaration would indicate broad agreement among G20 members on issues such as climate finance, sustainable development and debt relief. If the US stance prevails, the outcome may instead take the form of a “Chair’s Statement,” which reflects only the host’s perspective rather than a consensus of all members.
The summit concludes on Sunday, with President Cyril Ramaphosa set to hand over the G20 presidency to the United States next month.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
IOL News