G20 leaders have adopted a consensus declaration on Saturday during their summit in Johannesburg, ignoring objections from the United States and signalling a unified commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation.
The early adoption of the Declaration, typically reserved for the summit’s closing session, marked a rare procedural shift and underscored the resolve of attending nations to move forward despite Washington’s absence.
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola hailed the move as “an affirmation of multilateralism.”
Lamola explained that “the declaration had already been negotiated and agreed upon by G20 Sherpas prior to the summit, enabling swift endorsement by heads of state.”
“The various leaders who are here have been briefed by their Sherpas on what is in the declaration so there was nothing that stops us from putting the declaration forward for adoption by the leaders who are in the first segment of this (two-day) meeting,” he said.
The declaration reportedly includes nearly all of South Africa’s priorities, including debt sustainability and the disproportionate interest burden faced by countries with similar risk ratings.
Lamola said South Africa was “thrilled that they agreed to do it,” noting it contained “a number of revolutionary aspects for the African continent and the world.”
The US boycott stemmed from Washington’s opposition to South Africa’s push for a climate-focused declaration.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said on Saturday night that President Donald Trump objected to the inclusion of language on the climate crisis and other global challenges, accusing Pretoria of undermining the legit G20 process.
She added that Trump looked forward to “restoring legitimacy to the G20 in the US’s 2026 host year.”
Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have escalated in recent weeks, with the US accusing South Africa of alleged genocide against Afrikaner farmers and of refusing to facilitate a smooth transition of the G20 presidency.
Chargé d’affaires
The US, which had earlier insisted that it would not attend the summit meetings at any level, later had a change of heart on Friday when it suddenly said Trump would be represented by the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Pretoria.
South Africa rejected the notion of President Ramaphosa transferring leadership to a US chargé d’affaires, with Lamola saying the handover would occur at an “appropriate level.”
“Our president cannot hand over to a chargé d’affaires in a summit attended by so many heads of state,” he said.
A chargé d’affaires is a diplomat who acts as the head of a diplomatic mission in the absence of an ambassador.
The G20, established in 1999, comprises 19 countries and two regional bodies—the European Union and the African Union.
This year’s summit marks the first time it is hosted on African soil.
APA/Shakirat Sadiq