White House Orders U.S. Agencies to Halt Work on South Africa G-20 Summit Amid Political Tensions

The White House National Security Council has directed all U.S. agencies and departments to suspend any involvement with the Group of 20 (G-20) conference scheduled to take place in South Africa later this year. This move comes amid heightened political tensions sparked by President Donald Trump’s public threats to boycott the summit over South Africa’s controversial land expropriation policies.

The G-20, which brings together the world’s largest economies to address global financial and economic challenges, is slated to be held in Johannesburg this November under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” However, President Trump has criticized South Africa’s land reform initiatives, alleging — without evidence — that the country is engaged in a “genocide” against white farmers and has called for a boycott of the event.

A senior White House official referenced Trump’s recent comments on the issue, including his refusal to attend the summit unless the so-called “situation” is resolved. The directive from the National Security Council reportedly resolves internal government uncertainties about how to handle the extensive preparatory work required for the summit, which normally involves multiple U.S. government agencies.

South African officials have firmly rejected the allegations. President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the Trump administration has misunderstood South Africa’s efforts to address long-standing racial inequalities dating back to the apartheid era. “We’ll continue talking to them,” Ramaphosa remarked during a recent event in Ivory Coast, emphasizing ongoing diplomatic engagement despite the tensions.

The Trump administration’s stance also includes granting a small number of white South Africans refugee status in the U.S., a humanitarian move that has raised eyebrows given the suspension of similar designations for other groups globally.

Foreign policy experts warn that the U.S. absence from the G-20 summit could shift the balance of influence toward China, which has been strategically active in setting agendas at multilateral forums. “The U.S. created the G-20 and has remained engaged even with countries like China and Russia,” said Josh Lipsky, senior director at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. He cautioned that a U.S. boycott risks ceding diplomatic ground to Beijing, which is known for its meticulous planning and assertiveness at such events.

Within the U.S. government, there are mixed feelings about the boycott. Some officials disapprove of the G-20’s focus on issues like climate change, social cohesion, and aid to developing countries. However, others worry that withdrawing entirely from the summit would leave Western values underrepresented, with European nations left to shoulder the burden.

Notably, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been a vocal critic of South Africa’s land policies and announced his own boycott of a G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting earlier this year. Rubio condemned what he sees as anti-Americanism within the forum and criticized the summit’s themes of “solidarity, equality, and sustainability,” dismissing them as politically motivated objectives.

The Trump administration’s firm stance on the G-20 raises questions about the future role of the U.S. in global economic governance and highlights the increasingly complex dynamics of international diplomacy amid rising geopolitical tensions.

{Source: The Washington Post}

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