ANKARA
The US and South Africa are discussing Washington’s participation in the G20 Leaders’ Summit following a “change of mind,” the South African president said Thursday.
Several heads of state have confirmed their participation in the summit set to be held in Johannesburg on Nov. 22-23, with the notable exception of US President Donald Trump, who said no American official would attend the event as he accused South Africa of “human rights abuses” against the country's white Afrikaner population.
“We have received notice from the United States, a notice which we are still in discussions with them … about a change of mind about participating in one shape, form, or other in the summit. So the discussions are still ongoing,” Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters at an EU-South Africa leaders' meeting, where he hosted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, president of the EU Council.
Ramaphosa described the news as a “positive sign,” adding: “Boycott politics never work.”
“It's always best to be inside the tent than being outside of the tent,” he said, stressing that the US, being the “biggest economy in the world,” needs to be at the G20 summit.
“So it's pleasing to hear that there is a change of approach, and so we are still discussing how that will manifest,” Ramaphosa noted.