Visibly relieved, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa closed the G20 summit in Johannesburg with a hammer blow. Despite a boycott of the United States and objections from US President Donald Trump to the progressive agenda chaired by South Africa, the G20 countries present have reached an agreement. The US avoided the summit because of unfounded accusations that white farmers in South Africa were victims of genocide.
Although Trump demanded that there would be no final statement in the absence of the US, it was made on Saturday, the first day of these two-day deliberations. That is highly unusual – normally the final statement only comes at the end of the consultation. The way in which the agreement was expressed was also striking.
After Ramaphosa’s opening speech, the camera continued to roll, contrary to what had been agreed. The president, also unusually, immediately proceeded to vote by show of hands. Although the camera remained focused only on Ramaphosa, it showed him concluding that there was “overwhelming support” for the draft text of the final declaration and that the countries present were “now adopting” it. The final statement was released later in the day.
Long nose
In the thirty-page document, the G20 countries present mainly focus on the impact of climate change, the pursuit of international peace and alleviating the debt burden that poor countries are burdened with. With the agreement, the G20 countries present are thumbing their noses at the Trump administration. “We will not allow ourselves to be bullied,” Ramaphosa said at the start of the summit.
We will not allow ourselves to be bullied
The early presentation of the document denied Argentina, which had agreed to the draft text, the opportunity to back out at a later date. Argentine right-wing populist President Javier Milei is a loyal ally of Trump and was critical of the progressive G20 agenda that South Africa has pursued as chairman. In the preparatory meetings that took place over the past year, Argentina had repeatedly suddenly voted against partial resolutions or withdrawn support at the last minute.
Out of solidarity with Trump, Milei canceled this meeting for heads of state. His representative, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, seemed taken aback by Ramaphosa’s clever play. “Although Argentina cannot endorse the declaration, it remains committed to the spirit of cooperation that characterizes the G20,” Quirno said after presenting the final agreement.
Also read
Cancellations and an American boycott: is the G20 going well?
However, South Africa has no interest in this. “Now that the declaration has been adopted, the G20 countries present will apply it,” South African minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Ramaphosa’s right-hand man, told journalists. “We don’t need anyone else for that,” Ntshavheni continued, referring to the absence of the US.
A boost for multilateralism
Other member states also did not want the summit to be undermined by the Trump administration. “It’s a shame, but this should not block us,” French President Emmanuel Macron said of the US absence. “Our job is to work together because we are faced with many challenges.”
The fact that the G20 countries have reached a final declaration against the wishes of the US is a boost for multilateralism, which Trump abhors. The US president prefers bilateral agreements.
Countries from the Global South in particular seem to want to convey that the summit is a success even without the US
Countries from the Global South in particular seem to want to convey that the summit is a success even without the US. Flanked by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the chairman of the African Union, Angolan President João Lourenço, Ramaphosa celebrated the summit’s final declaration during the photo opportunity. Leaders on either side of Ramaphosa have a bone to pick with Trump: the US imposed a 50 percent trade tariff on Brazil last July. The African Union is extremely unhappy with the visa restrictions that Trump has imposed since June on residents of ten African countries.
This joint statement concludes four consecutive years in which countries from the Global South have held the presidency. They have worked to make the balance of power on the world economic stage more balanced. Next year the presidency will be in the hands of the US, so a change of course is obvious. Trump has already announced that he wants to “restore” the “legitimacy” of the G20 in 2026.
Also read
Before the visit of the G20 leaders, politicians are suddenly committed to sprucing up neglected Johannesburg
NEW: Give this item as a gift
As an NRC subscriber you can subscribe every month 10 items give as a gift to someone without an NRC subscription. The recipient can read the article directly, without a paywall.