• Washington’s absence will be more symbolic than substantive, say experts
• ‘Africa is touted as the next node of global economic growth, and the summit will intensely focus on investment opportunities on the continent,’ says Rich Mashimbye of the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation

JOHANNESBURG

South Africa is set to host the first G20 summit ever held on African soil this weekend, a moment officials are calling historic for the continent, even as the US boycotts the gathering.

Analysts say Washington’s absence will be more symbolic than substantive, and that Pretoria has already used its presidency to amplify voices long sidelined in global governance.

Independent political economist Dale McKinley argues that while the US boycott will “have a representational impact,” it will not derail the meeting or its agenda. “I think South Africa’s presidency of the G20 this year has brought many new issues to light in the Global South and has provided a counter voice to the dominance of the US,” he told Anadolu.

Andre Duvenhage, a professor at North-West University, echoed that view, saying the disagreement between Washington and Pretoria is rooted in deeper shifts – South Africa’s ties with Russia and China, and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

“The non-attendance of Trump and some global leaders could slightly downgrade the summit,” he said, “but the host will still benefit from wide-ranging bilateral engagement.”

South Africa has pushed the same rhetoric, with Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola saying this week that the summit – attended by the world’s major economic powers – will proceed as planned, including a vote on the leaders’ declaration.

“We are forging ahead to persuade the countries that are present that we must adopt a leaders’ declaration because the institution cannot be bogged down by someone who’s absent,” he said.

Trump has refused to send an American official to Johannesburg for the Nov. 22-23 meeting, falsely accusing South Africa of “human rights abuses” against the white Afrikaner population – claims the South African government has repeatedly rejected as unfounded.

The accusations mirror those Trump leveled directly at President Cyril Ramaphosa during a televised meeting in Washington earlier this year. Despite Ramaphosa’s rebuttals, the US president has continued raising the issue.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa said the US and South Africa were discussing Washington’s possible participation following a “change of mind,” but that was quickly shot down by the White House.

“I saw the South African president running his mouth a little bit against the United States and the president of the United States earlier today, and that language is not appreciated by the president or his team,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

“The ambassador or the representative of the Embassy in South Africa is simply there to recognize that the United States will be the host of the G20; they are receiving that send-off at the end of the event, they are not there to participate in official talks despite what the South African president is falsely claiming,” she added.

South Africa aims to leave a Global South imprint

South Africa’s G20 theme this year – “solidarity, equality and sustainability” – has drawn criticism from Washington, which labeled it anti-American. Ramaphosa dismissed that characterization and brushed off the boycott. “Boycotts never really work,” he said. “In the end, their absence is their loss.”

Lamola confirmed that only four G20 members will not be represented by heads of state: Russia, Mexico, and Argentina, which will send foreign ministers, and China, which will be represented by Premier Li Qiang.

He said South Africa hopes the summit outcomes will “leave a lasting legacy” for Africa and the wider Global South, particularly through its push for reforming the international financial architecture to make it more equitable and responsive to developing countries’ needs.

McKinley said Pretoria has already succeeded in broadening the conversation. “South Africa has been able to showcase voices of many countries in the Global South that were often left out,” he noted.

Still, he is uncertain whether a leaders’ declaration will be adopted: “With some heads not attending, I doubt it.”

Rich Mashimbye, a researcher at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg, said the summit marks a significant milestone for Africa as a whole.

“Africa is touted as the next node of global economic growth, and the summit will intensely focus on investment opportunities on the continent,” he said.

He noted that the gathering comes at a time when South Africa is working to restore its credibility in the global economy after years of stagnation, corruption scandals, and reputational damage.

“The G20 summit will offer the government an opportunity to reassure the world’s biggest economies that the country is on a positive path of recovery and is open for trade,” he said.

Why hosting the G20 matters

Mashimbye believes the US absence will have little impact, especially because the boycott is rooted in allegations “proven to be without merit.”

He also stressed that the EU continues to view South Africa as a stable partner and has firmly dismissed claims of a genocide against Afrikaners.

Trump’s stance, he said, must be understood within his broader political persona. “Trump is a generally divisive and combative character both in the US and globally, and his absence will be viewed in this frame.”

Mashimbye added that the non-attendance of leaders like Argentina’s president is better understood as an attempt to align with Trump, rather than a statement on South Africa’s role.

As for China and Russia, he stressed that their absence should not be interpreted as political. “President Xi Jinping has sent the premier to G20 meetings before, and since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Russian president has avoided international summits and prefers to delegate.”

Mashimbye said South Africa has so far performed “excellently” as G20 host, overseeing dozens of preparatory meetings, many centered on climate, financial governance, and development. “In this sense, South Africa has ensured that the 2025 G20 programs are comprehensive,” he said.