A meeting of G20 foreign ministers is set to take place in Johannesburg on Thursday, but U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend, highlighting growing diplomatic tensions between the United States and South Africa.
Among the attendees are Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while the United States will be represented by Dana Brown, acting ambassador to South Africa. Delegates from the European Union, United Nations, and African Union—an official G20 member—are also expected to participate.
Rubio’s decision to skip the meeting follows a recent executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that halted foreign aid to South Africa, citing concerns over a law the White House claims discriminates against the nation’s white minority. The U.S. has also voiced disapproval of South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola downplayed Rubio’s absence, stating that it does not amount to a complete boycott of the G20 event. “The United States will still be represented in Johannesburg this week in one form or another,” Lamola said.
Adding to the diplomatic strain, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also opted out of next week’s G20 finance ministers’ meeting in South Africa. Bessent announced on social media platform X that scheduling commitments in Washington would prevent his attendance, though a senior Treasury official will represent the United States in his place.
Political analysts view Rubio and Bessent’s absences as a sign of the United States’ waning engagement with the G20 and an indicator of strained relations. “If both the Secretary of State and the Treasury Secretary are absent, that sends a serious diplomatic message,” said political analyst Daniel Bradlow.
The meeting will be opened by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver a keynote address aligned with the summit’s theme, “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.” Rubio has criticized the theme as reflective of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) principles—concepts the Trump administration has publicly opposed.
As part of its G20 presidency, which began in December, South Africa will host more than 130 working group meetings and 23 ministerial-level gatherings throughout the year.
