The conspicuous absence of the USA from the first G20 Summit held on the African continent was a sign that something was amiss in the global and international political landscape. The gathering, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, took place from November 22 to 23, 2025.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told the South African Broadcasting Corporation ( SABC), ” This G20 is not about the US. We are all equal members of the G20. What it means is that we need to make a decision. Those of us who are here have decided this is where the world must go.”
The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who held the 2025 presidency of the Group of 20 leaders, which should shift to the US president Donald Trump in 2026, rejected a US offer to send the US Charge d’affaires for the G20 handover. South Africa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, noted, “The president will not hand over to a junior embassy official the presidency of the G20. It is a breach of protocol that is not to be accommodated.”
This brick -bat as a result of the US boycott of the G20 Summit in South Africa, and the perception in different quarters of US bullying traits, is an indication of the widening gap between erstwhile allies.
Interestingly, despite the US boycott of the Summit over alleged persecution of White South Africans and its opposition to the climate change threat, which Trump claimed was not a result of human activities, the South African president claimed the Summit achieved consensus for the declaration reached without the US input.
From G8 to G20. What Next?
The G20 is an international gathering of the world’s major economies, to coordinate macro-economic policies promoting global financial stability and looking at pressing international challenges. Members represent about 85% of global GDP, 75% of global trade, and two-thirds of the global population. The presidency rotates annually among the countries involved.
It was established in 1999 following the Asian financial crisis. The scope of interest has been expanded to include broader global issues such as trade, climate change, development, health, energy, agriculture, and anti-corruption.
During the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, the African Union was officially admitted as a permanent member. This was to ensure that Africa has formal representation in global economic governance that will help shape international policy.
What was once the G8 is now the G20. What’s next, and how is the US boycott of the G20 Summit affecting the dynamics of global politics?
A New World Order or a World In Disorder?
America, as the greatest earthly power of our age, enjoys a unique position in the committee of nations, especially with its enviable democratic ideals. Many global citizens are wondering what a globe without American strength and might could be like.
Considering the US’s past contributions to global stability, the ability of other G20 members to achieve consensus on key issues such as trade, climate, and global finance without the US input seems hollow or ineffective since the giant still has a lot to offer.
Moments before the summit, Mr Trump labeled South Africa’s hosting as a ” total disgrace,” refusing to attend. Mr Ramaphosa replied,” Boycott politics doesn’t work, ” adding that the US was “giving up the very important role that they should be playing as the biggest economy in the world.”
Whereas Trump favours direct bilateral deals over multilateral forums, viewing them as less effective, Mr Ramaphosa stated that the US absence was ” their loss,” emphasizing the need for global cooperation.
In the broader context, as the US opposed South Africa’s focus on climate change, energy transition, and global inequality, viewing these as detrimental to US interests, others see the need for a better international corporation.
Supporting Voices.
Despite the boycott, South Africa secured a joint declaration on key issues, showing that consensus could be achieved without the US, though with obvious diplomatic challenges.
Other G20 nations, including China, France, the UK, Germany, Russia, Canada, and Japan, supported the declaration, which moved for more global attention on issues that mostly affect poor countries, such as the need for recovery after climate-related disasters, and seeking ways to ease their debt levels.
In his speech, Mr Ramaphosa stated, ” South Africa has used this presidency to place the priorities of Africa and the Global South firmly at the heart of the G20 agenda.”
French President Emmanuel Macron noted, “Meeting for the first time on the African continent marks an important milestone, but the bloc is struggling to have a common standard on geopolitical crises.”
Namibia’s president, Netumbo Nandi – Ndaitwa, whose country of three million people was one of more than twenty smaller nations invited as guests, said, “The importance of addressing development priorities from the African perspective can not be overemphasized.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it had not been a ” good decision ” for the US to abstain. He told Reuters that what he had observed at the G20 was that ” the world is currently undergoing a realignment and that new connections are being formed.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva noted, ” it didn’t matter much” that Trump had not attended, adding that multilateralism was ” more alive than ever.”
Implications of the US Absence.
Is the new world order descending into disorder? Without the participation of major powers, the G20’s ability to function as a credible forum could be fundamentally flawed. No doubt, Trump’s attacks and some big absences (USA and Russia) stole the spotlight from what could have been South Africa’s great moment.
The US absence became more serious when Trump said that he would not accept anything beyond the chair’s statement. This meant that the G20 was unlikely to reach a Leaders’ Declaration for the first time since its creation, which could undermine the very purpose of the summit and limit reaching a consensus.
The Leaders’ Declaration is the G20’s central output, reflecting agreement and serving as an action plan to address global economic and political issues. A Chair’s Statement is a more informal document issued by the host country’s chair, and it may be released even without full consensus.
Mr Ramaphosa had maintained that the absence of the US at the Summit would not derail the discussions, but with the absence of these global giants, South Africa faced a difficult question as host – whether it had the political weight to moderate discussions and drive consensus within a forum whose effectiveness had always relied on the active presence of all major powers.
Considering the showdown, it is likely that many of the priorities advanced during the past four Global South presidencies, including the discussions that took place in the Johannesburg meeting, are unlikely to survive next year’s agenda under a US G20 presidency.
According to veteran South African journalist Steven Freedman, ” South Africa wanted it to be about… keeping multilateralism alive. A very nice – sounding idea… but it is running against the tide. At the moment, multilateralism is dead.”
For Piet Croucamp, associate professor of political studies and international relations at South Africa’s North – West University, a disruptive US appearance at the G20 would have been ” a distraction. His not coming may be the best thing that could happen to the G20.”
An Opportunity For China’s Leadership.
The US decision to boycott the G20 in South Africa has handed an opportunity to China, as it seeks to expand its growing influence in the African continent and position itself as an alternative to the dangers of unilateral US action. China has been working towards expanding its influence in Africa as a counterpoint to the US – led world order.
Zhiqun Zhu, professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, told Al Jazeera, ” The US is allowing China to expand its global influence. With the absence of the US, China and EU countries will be the focus of the summit, and other countries will look for leadership from them.”
Zhu further said that South African themes for the summit, which hinge on debt relief, economic growth, climate change, and transition to clean energy, were a ” natural fit” for China, Africa’s largest trading partner. ” China aims to become a leader in green energy, and there is a lot of room for China and African countries to work on that.”
Jing Gu, a political economist at the UK- based Institute of Development Studies, said the US’s failure to attend ” does not automatically make China the new leader, but it creates visible space for China to present itself as a more stable, reliable partner in governance.” She added, “It reinforces the perception that the US is stepping back from multilateralism and the shared management of global problems. In that context, China can present itself as a more predictable, stable actor and emphasize continuity, support for open trade, and engagement with the Global South.”
India’s Moderating Influence.
South Africa’s 2025 G20 Summit was held at a time of turbulence in global politics, and India played a significant role, advocating for Global South priorities, learning from its own 2023 hosting experience.
There was great power rivalry, multiplying conflicts, and a growing crisis of trust in multilateral institutions. At that point, Pretoria stepped into a role that demanded a combination of delicate diplomacy and strong leadership.
The Johannesburg summit was both a symbolic moment for Africa and a test of whether the developing world could uphold multilateralism even as some developed nations chose disengagement. That was the point at which India’s quiet but decisive support made a big difference. Unlike the US, India chose engagement over estrangement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended and endorsed Ramaphosa’s presidency, ensured that New Delhi provided the guidance on managing working groups, digital coordination, and logistics expertise that helped Pretoria to host the continent’s most expansive global policy forum.
African And Global South Voices
Pretoria demonstrated that the legitimacy of the G20 does not hinge on the participation of any single country, and that the Global South possesses both the skills and vision to guide multilateralism even in a disordered world. But the positive input of major powers must not be underestimated.
No wonder the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his contribution to the Johannesburg Summit, demanded equity in global mineral trade, where the wealth of critical minerals must translate into shared prosperity in Africa. ” While the possession of resources alone does not guarantee prosperity, relevant authorities and stakeholders must ensure that the extraction and trade of critical minerals are guaranteed by fairness, transparency, and accountability.”
He further urged the G20 leaders to build a future where Africa is not merely a supplier of raw materials, but a continent of value creation, innovation, and dignity in work.
Declaration Adopted: What They Agreed Upon.
As the British prime minister Keir Starman advised, ” there is no doubt the road ahead is tough, we need to find ways to play a constructive role again today in the face of the world’s challenges, ” Ramaphosa noted, ” the G20 underscores the value of the relevance of multilateralism. It recognizes that the challenges that we face can only be resolved through cooperation, collaboration, and partnership.”
While the Chinese Premier Li Qiang pondered on why unilateralism and protectionism are rampant, and “what exactly is happening to global solidarity,” the summit declaration demanded more global action to cope with climate change. Leaders acknowledged that “investment and climate finance” needs to be scaled up “from billions to trillions globally from all sources.”
It also addressed the need to reform international financial systems to help low-income countries deal with their debts, and demanded a “just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” in Ukraine, Sudan, DR Congo, and the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Dissenting Voices And Opinions.
The European Union has asked that a quicker solution be applied to help reduce the hazardous effects of climate change. This will involve reducing the world’s over-reliance on fossil fuel which produce the greenhouse gases that deplete the ozone layer, the main reason for global warming.
The USA would not want to be involved in issues concerning climate change and the punishing levels of debt service suffered by poor nations. As the G20 leaders adopted the declaration, the South African spokesperson, in a speech that highlighted strains between Pretoria and Washington, noted that the declaration “can’t be renegotiated.” In other words, the USA is not indispensable in today’s global politics- a deposition that many consider inappropriate.
Anna Kelly, who spoke for the White House, noted that South Africa’s president Ramaphosa was “refusing to facilitate a smooth transition of the G20 presidency, after saying he would pass the gavel to “an empty chair.” This, coupled with South Africa’s push to issue a G20 Leaders’ Declaration, despite consistent and robust US objections, underscores the fact that they have weaponized their G20 presidency to undermine the G20 founding principles.”
She added that Mr Trump “looks forward to restoring legitimacy” to the group in 2026, when the US holds the rotating presidency. In essence, the US considers all that took place in Johannesburg as illegitimate.
Argentina, whose far-right President Javier Milei has been a close ally of Mr Trump, quit the negotiations just before the envoys were about to adopt the draft. His country’s foreign minister, Pablo Quirno, noted, “Argentina, although it cannot endorse the declaration… remains fully committed to the spirit of cooperation that has defined the G20 since its conception.”
Due to so many global crises and dissensions amongst global leaders, the Japanese Cabinet Public Affairs Secretary Maki Kabayashi commented, “While the G20 diversity sometimes presents challenges, it also underscores the importance of finding common ground.” Finding a common ground in a polarised globe will be difficult.
As proof of the many geopolitical fissures that are not helping global cohesion, the European Union Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen warned about “the weaponization of dependencies, which only creates losers.” This was said in a veiled reference to China’s vacillation on global energy transition, as well as defense and digital technology, where they have a comparative advantage over others.
Dissensions and the absence of superpowers in such a summit will create global political and socio – economic instability. When this happens, the entire globe is the loser.
Conclusion
In his opening remarks to the Summit, President Ramaphosa said, “We should not allow anything to diminish the value, the stature, and the impact of the first African G20 presidency.” Recent global occurrences, especially what transpired at the 20th G20 Summit, indicate that our collective global values that will bring all nations together are diminishing.
As the US boycotted and Argentina refused to endorse the summit’s declaration, spokesperson Magwenya said, “We have what we call sufficient consensus.” What many would consider sufficient consensus might turn out insufficient when major powers are disengaged from global consensus-building.
As the summit was coming to an end, world leaders in attendance thanked South Africa for its G20 leadership, with French President Emmanuel Macron giving Ramaphosa a hug. And as Ramaphosa hailed the event as a win for multilateralism, Macron noted that the divisions at the summit were still apparent. For now, the credibility and effectiveness of the G20 as a platform for global coordination are doubtful. There is an urgent need for mutual understanding amongst nations.
