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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this month he would demolish the G20 meeting of the world’s largest economies in Johannesburg for trying to promote “equality, solidarity and sustainability” in South Africa.
RubyThe highest diplomatic US diplomatically, was repeated by the anger of US President Donald Trump and his advisor born in southern Africa, Elon Musk because of the Land Laws that replace those dating from the Aparthey era.
“I will not attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg,” Rubio said on X: “South Africa does very bad things. Expressing private ownership. Using the G20 to promote “solidarity, equality and sustainability”. In other words: dei and climate change.
“My job is to improve American national interests, not taxpayers’ money or throw anti -Americanism.”
South Africa is the first country from the continent to hold the rotating leadership of the G20 and made climate justice for Global South countries one of its priorities. Now they will take over the lead next year – a handover that is probably tense now.
It is unusual for the country to fail to attend the G20 meeting, and the absence of the US comes at a time when China tries to further strengthen its ties with Africa. Rubio, a hawk on China, also criticized South Africa for his recent pressure on Taiwan in accordance with Beijing’s wishes.
South African officials seemed confused by Rubi’s boycott of the meeting. “This is not a South African event. It’s a global event,” Songgezo Zibi, an opposition MP, said. “Trump’s administration is basically hell on isolating the United States, weakening his role in international institutions and destroying his soft power.”
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamolo said that the Presidency of the G20 South Africa “was not limited to climate change only, but also equally fair treatment for the nation of the global south, ensuring the same global system for all.”
Wu Peng, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, met Lamolo on Thursday and he said emphasized to x that he “expressed his willingness to support the Presidency of the G20 South Africa”.
Ziyanda Stuurman, an independent analyst based in Cape Town, said that the three of previous, present and future hosts often had to work through different priorities, but withdrawing Rubioa is “a pretty intense escalation even that there is general understanding that they are now the southern relationship Africa is tense. “
She added that it seems that now it is “withdrawing from the world stage. Nature takes place a vacuum – there will be a country or group of countries that walk forward, whether it is a trade front or a brunette of diplomacy.”
Trump accused South African on Monday of very poorly treated with “certain classes of people” after President Cyril Ramaphos signed an account for expropriation that allows the country to be taken away without compensation in circumstances when the Government believes that “the righteous and righteous and in the public in the public public interest. ”
The legislation replaces the laws originating from the era of Apartheid, during which thousands of not white families have been forcibly removed from their country for the benefit of the white minority. About a quarter of agricultural land today is owned by the blacks of South Africa, representing 80 percent of the population.
“I will interrupt all future funds for South Africa until a complete investigation of this situation is completed!” Trump said on X.
Musk, a close to Trump ally and head of the “Government Efficiency Department”, replied to the Ramaphose statement, claiming that the country had “open racist laws on ownership”.
It is not clear whether the G20 will now be withdrawn from the G20, whose meetings have culminated during the year in November.
The South African official said no US officials were in contact with the presence of USA.
“The US Secretary of State has not yet spoke with the President of South Africa or the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” the official said. “He may not have a meaningful level of understanding what he is talking about ..[if]It is distracted from a major international event without consulting with other members of the G20. ”
