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G20 Presidency: America has alleged that South Africa is not handing over the presidency of G20 to it smoothly. Actually America had boycotted the summit. In view of this, South Africa has not handed over the presidency to any American official. The question is whether America will get the presidency?
Tension has suddenly deepened in the relations between America and South Africa amid the G20 Summit. This year, the G20 chairperson is South Africa, while the next chairperson will be America. But now his presidency is in danger. In fact, US President Donald Trump had boycotted this summit. Now the South African government said on Saturday that President Cyril Ramaphosa will not hand over the next presidency of the G20 to a representative of the US Embassy. After this, the White House alleged on Saturday that South Africa is refusing to smoothly hand over the presidency of the G20 to America. In fact, during the meeting, one country formally hands over the chairmanship to the other. For example, when India organized the G-20 meeting in 2023, Brazil was to become the next president. PM Narendra Modi handed over the chairmanship to Brazilian President Lula in front of all the members. After that, Brazil gave the presidency to the President of South Africa. But this time this tradition has been broken.
PM Modi handed over the presidency to Brazil.
The South African Foreign Ministry said they would transition the presidency ‘at the appropriate level’. America described this statement as incomplete and far from formality. Shortly after this, the G20 countries issued a joint declaration on the climate crisis, that too when America had opposed this declaration. This increased Washington’s anger further. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly claimed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was ‘pressing hard despite US objections’ to issue a joint declaration on the climate crisis and other global issues. He also said that President Donald Trump is ‘looking forward to America hosting the G20 in 2026.’
Brazil later handed over the presidency to South Africa.
What is the real controversy over giving the presidency?
South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told a press conference that the US wanted the transfer of the presidency to be done through a charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in South Africa. That means America did not appoint any of its top officials for the transfer. Lamola clearly said that this method cannot be acceptable, because heads of state and high level representatives from all over the world are present in the summit. He said- ‘Our President cannot hand over the presidency to a Charge d’Affairs on such a big platform.’
Will America get the presidency of G20?
According to Lamola, the transfer should happen either at the presidential level or with an official formally nominated by the US President. He said that South Africa will make this transfer at the equivalent level in the DIRCO (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) office any day from Monday. He believes that this will not spoil the relations between the two countries, because this is being done at the ‘appropriate level’ only. After Donald Trump came back to power, relations between America and South Africa have continued to strain. Recently the situation worsened when the Trump administration claimed that there was discrimination against white citizens in South Africa.
