News Briefs -16 May 2025

South Africa’s G20 Presidency 2025

Will Donald Trump attend the 2025 G20 Summit? South Africa says it’s up to the US

US President Donald Trump appears unlikely to attend the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for November in Johannesburg, but South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said it is up to the US to confirm his attendance or absence.

During a media briefing on Monday, Lamola addressed speculation about Donald Trump’s potential participation in the G20, highlighting the country’s role as the current President of the Summit.

“All leaders of G20 member states are invited to attend,” Lamola said. “But it is up to the US government to confirm whether President Trump will attend the G20 summit in South Africa.”

IOL 13 May 2025

US agencies banned from working on SA G20 Summit – report

Just days before President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to arrive in Washington on a working visit that includes a high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump on 21 May, top US newspaper the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the White House National Security Council has banned “US agencies from all work on the G20 in South Africa”.

While the White House and US State Department are yet to officially confirm the move, the news will pile pressure on Ramaphosa in a make-or-break meeting as relations between South Africa and the Trump administration hit a new low.

South Africa is set to host the G20 Summit of leaders from the world’s biggest economies in Johannesburg in November. There are dozens of run-up G20 events planned locally and abroad ahead of the main Summit.

However, both Trump and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, have threatened to boycott the main event, claiming a “white genocide” against the Afrikaner community in South Africa and lambasting land expropriation laws. Rubio has already snubbed a G20 run-up event that took place in Cape Town earlier this year.

‘Suspend work’

“The White House National Security Council has ordered US agencies and departments to suspend work with the Group of 20 conference set to be hosted by South Africa this year, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a government decision not yet made public,” reads the Washington Post report.

Moneyweb 15 May 2015

G20 Presidency: Africa is ready

South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 is a “defining moment” not only for the country but for the entire African continent.

This is according to Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, who was delivering remarks during the opening of the second G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday.

“South Africa’s very proud to host the G20 for the first time on African soil. It’s a defining moment for South Africa and the rest of the continent because the G20 nations represent 85% of the global economy, 75% of international trade and 67% of the world’s population.”

“In partnership with the African Union, we will provide a vital voice in global discussions, especially concerning issues affecting developing nations on the continent. Now, we do not take this responsibility lightly because we need to highlight Africa’s developmental agenda and promote equity in global governance,” she said.

De Lille highlighted that South Africa’s theme for its Presidency – Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability – is aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming the continent into a global powerhouse of the future.

The Presidency 11 May 2025

Second G20 Tourism Working Group Holds In-depth Discussion on Four Priorities for 2025

South Africa held a successful second G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 11 May until 13 May 2025.

The South African Minister of Tourism, Ms Patricia de Lille, warmly welcomed officials to South Africa during the opening ceremony on the first day, emphasising the importance of South Africa being the first African host of the G20 Presidency.

“The G20 summit is more than just an event – it is a statement that Africa is ready to take its rightful place in global economic leadership. It demonstrates our proven ability to host safe, world-class events on this scale,” Minister De Lille stated.

The Director-General of the South African Department of Tourism, Mr Nkhumeleni Victor Vele, chaired the meeting, which was attended by senior officials and experts in the tourism sector of the G20, guest countries and international organisations.

G20.org 13 May 2025

Africa CEO Forum | Session comes as South Africa leads G20

Team South Africa took centre stage at the Africa CEO Forum, which wrapped up in Côte d’Ivoire this week.

A high-level panel discussion focused on unlocking the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

It also included the country’s economic priorities, investment outlook, and broader role on the continent.

eNCA 15 May 2025

G20 Is Too Elite. There Is a Way To Fix That Though – Economists

The G20 claims to be “the premier forum for international economic cooperation”. But is it?

As scholars of global economic governance, we are sceptical of this claim. Here are our main reasons.

• The G20 is insufficiently representative of the 193 member states of the United Nations plus the small number of non-member states.
• It is a self-selected group of 19 countries and the European and African Unions.
• It has no mandate to act or speak on behalf of the international community.
• It has no transparent or formal mechanisms through which it can communicate with actors who do not participate in the G20 but have a stake in its deliberations and their outcomes.

The growing tensions in the world make it more urgent to improve the efficacy of the G20. Firstly, because there is growing evidence of the loss of interest in global cooperation. Secondly, rich states are cutting their official development assistance and are failing to meet their commitments to help countries deal with loss and damage from climate impacts and make their economies more resilient to shocks. Thirdly, rich countries are also reluctant to discuss financing sustainable and inclusive development in forums such as the upcoming Fourth Financing for Development Conference or the UN, where all states can participate. They prefer exclusive forums such as the G20. Here, after briefly describing the structure of the G20, we argue that its lack of representation is a major problem. We offer a solution and argue that, as chair of the G20 this year, South Africa is well-placed to promote this solution.

SAIIA 14 May 2025