You will not change anything…a surprising response from the President of South Africa to Washington’s boycott of the G20 summit

He said President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa The absence of the United States from The G20 Summit scheduled in Johannesburg on November 22 and 23 will not change anything, adding that they "If they’re not here, that’s their business"

Ramaphosa’s statement came in response to a question from the media regarding Washington’s decision to boycott the first The G20 is held on the African continent.

US President Donald Trump announced last week that he would not send any representative of his administration to this annual meeting of the world’s largest economies, accusing the Pretoria government without evidence of persecuting white farmers.

Important decisions without America’s participation

Ramaphosa said: "The United States, by not participating in the G20, should not think that the summit will not be held. The G20 will be held as scheduled, other leaders will be present, and in the end important decisions will be made, and if they are not here, that is their business."

Argentine President Javier Mele followed the example of his counterpart Trump, as a spokesman for the Argentine presidency confirmed to Agence France-Presse that he would not participate in the summit, and that Foreign Minister Pablo Cuerno would act in his place.

South Africa is one of the countries that Trump has repeatedly targeted on the international scene since his return to the White House in January.

Boycotts are counterproductive

The South African president, whose country is supposed to extradite, added The rotating presidency of the group to the United States: "What I can say, from my experience in politics, is that boycotts never really work, they backfire"

The slogan of the Pretoria presidency of the group revolves around: "Solidarity, equality and sustainability"With a focus on alleviating the debts of developing countries, financing adaptation to climate change, and achieving comprehensive growth, which are priorities that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as "Anti-American"

Ramaphosa said: "Decisions will be made to move forward on various files. The United States must rethink the feasibility of the boycott policy, because from my experience I see that it does not work. It is better to be inside the tent than outside it."

Tense relations

Relations between Washington and Pretoria are witnessing escalating tension, as the US administration accuses South Africa of"Targeting Israel" After the complaint it filed before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide over the war in Gaza.

South Africa is also subject to the highest customs duties imposed by the United States on any country in sub-Saharan Africa, at 30%.

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