South Africa announced on Thursday that it will “take a commercial break” from G20 participation during the United States’ presidency of the world’s leading economies, after being barred from next year’s meetings in an escalating diplomatic dispute.
The decision comes following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s confirmation this week that South Africa would not be invited to the US-led G20, marking a dramatic deterioration in relations between the two nations.
Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said South Africa would sit out the entire 2026 series of meetings and resume participation when Britain assumes the G20 presidency in 2027.
“For now, we will take a commercial break until we resume normal programming,” Magwenya said on social media, signalling Pretoria’s intention to weather the diplomatic storm rather than fight for inclusion.
The United States assumed the year-long G20 presidency this month after largely boycotting South Africa’s tenure, including the landmark November summit in Johannesburg — the first G20 summit ever held in Africa.
The US exclusion of South Africa stems from a range of policy disputes, with Rubio repeating complaints Wednesday that included what he termed the South African government’s deliberate discrimination against the white Afrikaner minority — claims Pretoria has rejected as unfounded.
The Trump administration has escalated its confrontation with South Africa across multiple fronts, expelling the South African ambassador in March and imposing 30% trade tariffs that Pretoria is still working to overturn.
Despite the unprecedented exclusion, South Africa said it does not expect other G20 members to boycott the US presidency or lobby for its inclusion.
“In fact it would be unhelpful if the entire year goes to waste and the G20 collapses,” Magwenya told the Sunday Times in an interview published late Wednesday.
However, South Africa does expect other members to “register their displeasure with the US in defence of multilateralism and the spirit and purpose of the G20,” he added.
The G20 represents the world’s most significant economic forum, encompassing leading economies plus the European Union and African Union regional blocs. The group accounts for 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population.
South Africa’s November summit drew world leaders from both member and non-member nations, though US President Donald Trump notably boycotted the gathering under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s hosting.
The diplomatic rift threatens to undermine the group’s unity at a time when global economic coordination remains crucial for addressing international challenges.
