November 21, 2025

How the U.S. and South Africa Could Use the G20 to Plot a Path Forward

This article was originally published in the Daily Maverick.

The Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Johannesburg will be a historic gathering. The first time an African country holds the group presidency, the summit takes place during a period of significant strain on multilateral institutions.

In the contest for the future of global order, South Africa’s choices will have a disproportionate impact on the outcome.

It also coincides with the lowest point in the US-South Africa relationship since 1994. US President Donald Trump — along with all other US senior government officials — are likely skipping the meeting. It will mark the only instance of a sitting US president failing to attend since the summit format began in 2008.

Read the full article on the Daily Maverick.

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