Staff Reporter

South Africa has announced that it is prepared to suspend its participation in the G20 for a year, following the United States’ decision to bar the nation from the 2026 summit and its associated meetings.

The move, confirmed by the US during its takeover of the G20 presidency, marks a major escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries, which have been strained since the US boycotted South Africa’s recent hosting of the forum.

Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya stated earlier this morning that South Africa would take a commercial break until they resume normal programming, indicating a planned return to the forum when the presidency rotates to Britain in 2027.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed yesterday that South Africa would not be invited to the US-run G20 meetings.

The decision follows a month of high tensions, including US President Donald Trump’s boycott of the Johannesburg G20 summit in November and his subsequent directive to exclude South Africa from the 2026 events.

The Trump administration has repeatedly cited a contentious mix of diplomatic and political complaints.

The US claimed South Africa refused to hand over the G20 Presidency gavel to a senior US Embassy representative at the conclusion of the Johannesburg summit.

South Africa’s presidency countered, stating the instruments were “duly handed over to a US Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation after the US failed to attend the summit.