South Africa has announced it will “take a break” from G20 engagements following a decision by the United States, under President Donald Trump, to bar the country from participating in next year’s summit cycle.
The announcement came from the South African Presidency on Thursday, confirming that Pretoria will not attend the 2026 G20 meetings scheduled to be hosted in Miami. The move follows continued tensions between Washington and Pretoria over geopolitical alignments, diplomatic disputes, and allegations made by the US regarding the treatment of white Afrikaners claims the South African government has repeatedly dismissed as unfounded.
According to officials, South Africa’s temporary withdrawal is not a resignation from the G20 but a practical response to being shut out of the process. “South Africa remains a full, active and constructive member of the G20,” the Presidency insisted, noting that no individual member state including the US has the power to expel another country from the forum.
The US’s decision to exclude South Africa has drawn global attention, particularly after a series of diplomatic disagreements during South Africa’s hosting of the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg. During that summit, the US and several allied nations refused to endorse certain provisions and raised objections concerning the transition of G20 leadership.
South Africa plans to resume its full participation once the presidency moves on from the United States after 2026. Meanwhile, the government stated it will continue its international engagements through other global platforms, including BRICS and the African Union.
Political analysts say the standoff underscores broader tensions between the Trump administration and governments in the Global South, and raises new questions about the stability of consensus-driven international forums like the G20.
Despite the diplomatic rift, Pretoria maintains that the country’s commitment to multilateral cooperation remains unchanged, emphasizing that its “break” from G20 meetings is temporary and forced, rather than voluntary.