The upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, will not be attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to his announcement. The dates of the summit are set for February 20–21. Concerns about land reforms and what he perceives to be a “anti-American stance” in South Africa are the main causes of Rubio’s decision.
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States are among the 19 nations that make up the G20.
South Africa is “doing very bad things,” including “expropriating private property” and using the G20 to advance “solidarity, equality, & sustainability,” which he equates to “DEI and climate change,” according to Rubio’s concerns expressed in a post on X. He made it clear that his responsibility is to further the interests of the United States, not to “waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism.”
Rubio’s decision comes after President Donald Trump labeled South Africa’s land reform initiatives a “human rights violation” and attacked the country’s land policies, threatening to stop US funding. According to Trump, South Africa is “taking away land,” “confiscating land,” and engaging in “horrible things”
From December 2024 to November 2025, South Africa will serve as the G20’s president. The G20, which consists of 19 nations and the European Union, accounts for roughly two-thirds of the world’s population, 85% of global GDP, and more than 75% of international trade.
