Trump downplays G20 significance during heated White House meeting with Ramaphosa

In typical Donald Trump fashion, the United States President said the upcoming G20 Summit will be nothing without the US.

Speaking during a press briefing at the White House, ahead of a meeting between the two heads of state, Trump said the summit was of little significance. 

The US has made headlines recently for its firm stance on not attending the upcoming G20 meeting in South Africa, scheduled for November.

This decision follows vocal concerns from US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who insisted that the US cannot endorse a summit hosted by a country they consider "unaligned" with their policies.

One of these being SA's support of Palestine and its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

However, Ramaphosa responded with an unequivocal counter-argument, emphasising the crucial role the US plays within the G20 framework.

Ramaposa noted that the US originated the G20 and it is important that the country continues to play a key role in the G20.

"We are overjoyed that we are going to hand over to the US, who are the originators of the G20. For that reason, I expect the US to continue playing a leadership role in the G20, along with other countries.

"When I spoke to Trump on the phone, I told him I wanted him to come to SA for a state visit and I also want him to come and participate in the G20. I want to gladly hand over to President Trump to take the leadership of the G20 forward.

As the G20 presidency transitions from SA to the US in November, the coming months will be crucial for the nation to solidify its influence and desirability on the global stage.

seanne.rall@iol.co.za

IOL