JOHANNESBURG — The G20 summit in Johannesburg, the first held on African soil, ended Sunday marked by a high-profile U.S. absence and several diplomatic firsts.
The Trump administration skipped the leaders’ sessions after President Trump accused South Africa of seizing white-owned land and allowing violence against white Afrikaners, and because it objected to the summit’s emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Washington also pressed for no joint communique and wanted any closing text labeled only a “chair’s statement.”
Despite that pressure, host President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at the opening that the leaders had reached consensus and issued a joint declaration without U.S. participation. The declaration included commitments addressing climate change, gender equality and the debt burdens facing poorer countries. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly criticized Ramaphosa’s handling of the presidency handover and said the administration looks forward to “restoring legitimacy” to the forum next year, with plans to host in Florida.
South African Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola hailed the meeting as a success. “In a nutshell … this has been a great success for our country,” he said as the summit wrapped up near the Johannesburg township of Soweto.
Ramaphosa formally closed the summit, striking a ceremonial gavel and declaring the G20 presidency moves to the United States. Because President Trump was absent, South Africa rejected a U.S. request that the gavel be handed to a junior embassy official, calling that a breach of protocol, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said. A formal handover between officials of comparable rank is expected to take place Monday.
Not every member was fully comfortable with the final text. Argentina, whose president Javier Milei did not attend in solidarity with Trump, raised objections but did not block the declaration.
Leaders attending praised South Africa’s stewardship; French President Emmanuel Macron publicly embraced Ramaphosa. But divisions remained on major geopolitical issues. European leaders said a U.S. peace proposal for Ukraine needed more work and warned that proposed limits on Ukraine’s forces could leave it vulnerable, while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed concern about a U.S. military buildup near Venezuela.
Ramaphosa said the summit placed the Global South “at the heart of the agenda” and prioritized issues important to developing economies. Still, disagreements over policy and process underscored continuing rifts among the world’s major powers.