Trump Management to Skip G20 Summit in South Africa Amid Unsubstantiated Claims of Human Rights Abuses
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - August 23, 2023 – The trump administration announced today it will not send a high-level delegation to the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, citing unsubstantiated allegations of human rights violations against white farmers. The decision marks a significant diplomatic snub of the first G20 summit to be hosted on the African continent and escalates tensions between Washington and pretoria.
The move follows months of repeated, and unverified, claims by the former president regarding the safety of white farmers in South Africa.He alleges persecution and killings without providing evidence. The absence of a U.S. government representative, as stated in a recent post, will continue “as long as these human rights violations continue.” This decision impacts a crucial international forum representing over 80% of the world’s gross domestic product, comprised of 19 countries and the european Union and African Union.
Earlier in May, during a meeting at the White House, Donald Trump presented South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wiht a video containing inaccuracies intended to support his accusations.South africa has vehemently rejected these claims.Following the presentation, Trump announced he would not personally attend the G20 summit, instead designating JD Vance as his representative. Similarly, Senator Marco Rubio is avoiding participation in G20 ministerial meetings.
The administration has also leveled accusations against Nigeria, threatening potential armed intervention based on claims of religious persecution of Christians. Dunoma Umar Ahmed, the permanent secretary of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded by stating that “recent foreign claims suggesting systemic religious persecution in Nigeria are unfounded.”
