US boycotts G20 foreign ministers meet, attacks South African land reforms
US will boycott G20 foreign ministers meeting in Johannesburg, citing South Africa's treatment of farmers and focus on climate and diversity, says Rubio.
Washington: The United States will boycott the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Johannesburg due to South Africa’s treatment of (White) farmers and the G20’s theme emphasising climate and diversity, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday.
Striking yet another blow to multilateralism, and continuing the process of the US itself withdrawing from key diplomatic forums, Rubio said on X, “I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote “solidarity, equality, & sustainability.” In other words: DEI and climate change.” Rubio added that his job was to advance America’s national interests, “not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism”.
The US, part of the troika as next year’s G20 chair, hasn’t clarified if the boycott extends beyond the foreign ministers meeting to the broader G20 process under South Africa’s presidency, said Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, chief executive of the South African Institute of International Affairs. “ As far as I know, there hasn’t been a determination about whether the US will pull out completely because they don’t like the focus on sustainability, equality and solidarity because it is too woke,” she told HT.
She said it will be important to see whether Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will attend the finance ministers meet in Cape Town. Given the US’s upcoming host role, Sidiropoulos added it would be telling if Trump, who typically embraces such platforms, forgoes the opportunity.
Rubio’s criticism follows Trump’s recent unprovoked attack on South Africa via Truth Social. Trump wrote, “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. A massive Human Rights VIOLATION is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation is completed!”
The controversy centres on South Africa’s land reforms addressing Black dispossession during apartheid. White people, seven percent of the population, own 70% of the land. Recent legislation allows for land expropriation without compensation where “just and equitable and in public interest”.
This has sparked criticism over property rights, though South African authorities emphasise the provision applies only to unused or undeveloped property and won’t be arbitrarily implemented.
Elon Musk, Trump’s key ally and South African-born, has strongly opposed the legislation, widely seen as driving Trump’s response.
On the US’s unusual stance of advocating for White landowners, Sidiropoulos said, “I think the approach they have taken of indicating that they are speaking for a discriminated minority — not just landowners — is probably not surprising given the tenor of the MAGA movement when it comes to issues of race and Whiteness and how White males are the victim of the woke agenda.”
She pointed out that it was also not a coincidence that Musk was so close to the President, and said there was a commercial dimension to the issue as well. “Starlink is not yet in South Africa and there is legislation that requires foreign investors to give a portion of shareholding to Black-owned businesses and this is something Musk does not want to do that. It is not only about raising the flag for White farmers or White community. There is a real transactional dynamic to this.”
Sidiropoulos added that while the US position challenges South Africa’s need to address historical injustices, “This doesn’t mean the relationship needs to be adversarial.”
The US has previously withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement, World Health Organisation, UN Human Rights Council, and UN Relief and Works Agency. Observers suggest the US stance on G20 may increase China’s influence on global developments and discourse.