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US Launches "New G20" Amid Trump's Sharp Recalibration—But Without South Africa

The United States has kicked off its G20 presidency with a notable snub, leaving South Africa off the guest list for the first Sherpa meeting. Washington is pushing a "New G20" vision focused on deregulation, energy, and technology through newly formed working groups. This move sharply breaks from the forum's tradition of including the outgoing chair and signals a major policy shift under the Trump administration. The exclusion follows intense criticism from US officials over South Africa's domestic and foreign policy directions.

Key Points: US G20 Sherpa Meeting Excludes South Africa, Launches Working Groups

  • The US excluded South Africa from its first G20 Sherpa meeting, marking a major break from tradition
  • Secretary Rubio accused South Africa of focusing on "spite, division, and radical agendas" during its presidency
  • New US-led working groups will focus on deregulation, energy security, and pioneering tech like AI
  • President Trump cited "horrific Human rights abuses" as reason for not inviting South Africa to the 2026 summit
3 min read

US holds first G20 Sherpa meeting without South Africa, launches working groups on economic priorities

The US held its first G20 Sherpa meeting as 2026 host, excluding outgoing chair South Africa and launching new working groups on economic priorities.

"America Welcomes a New G20 - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio"

Washington DC, December 18

Ahead of hosting the G20 Summit in Miami, Florida, next year, the United States convened its first G20 Sherpa meeting as the 2026 Presidency host in Washington, notably without participation from South Africa, the outgoing 2025 chair, amid a sharp recalibration of the forum under US President Donald Trump.

According to a release on Thursday, the US Department of State said that the meeting took place from December 15 to December 16 and was attended by representatives from the African Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and the United Kingdom.

It also noted that Poland was the only full guest participant for the US host year.

The exclusion of South Africa came as no surprise, as it follows US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's earlier announcement that the Trump administration would not invite the outgoing chair due to policy differences, marking a significant departure from the G20's tradition of inclusivity.

Earlier in a blog post, Rubio, in a bold reimagining of the global economic forum, announced plans for what it calls a "New G20", welcoming Poland as a new member while explicitly excluding South Africa, which was accused of prioritising "spite, division, and radical agendas" during its current presidency.

Rubio, in his blog post titled 'America Welcomes a New G20', stated that the 'New G20' will focus on three core themes--removing regulatory burdens, unlocking affordable and secure energy supply chains, and pioneering technologies such as artificial intelligence -- through four working groups.

He lambasted South Africa for squandering its post-apartheid potential through "redistributionist policies that discouraged investment" and "racial quotas" that have crippled the economy.

He accused the African National Congress (ANC)-led government of scapegoating its citizens and the US, tolerating violence against Afrikaner farmers, and aligning with adversaries like Iran and Hamas sympathisers, claiming that South Africa's G20 Presidency was marred by ignoring US inputs, blocking negotiations, and even "doxxing" American officials, focusing instead on "climate change, diversity and inclusion, and aid dependency".

Meanwhile, at the Sherpa meeting, the United States outlined its key thematic priorities for the presidency, including unleashing economic prosperity by reducing regulatory burdens, ensuring reliable and affordable energy options, and advancing innovative technologies. To advance these goals, the US launched working groups to develop concrete deliverables under each theme.

An additional working group was established to identify consensus on trade-related issues.

According to the State Department, the four working groups will focus on key economic challenges that warrant discussion and action by world leaders during the G20 process.

Trump, earlier, said that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, while sharply criticising the South African government over what he described as "horrific Human Rights abuses".

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The United States did not attend the G20 in South Africa because the South African Government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific Human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers."

"To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them," he added.

The US assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1, coinciding with preparations for America's 250th anniversary. Trump will host the Leaders' Summit from December 14 to December 15, 2026, at Trump National Doral Miami.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The language used against South Africa is incredibly harsh and undiplomatic. Even with policy differences, there are more professional ways to handle this. This "New G20" approach seems more about political posturing than genuine economic leadership. 🤔
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Priya S
As an Indian, I'm glad our representatives were there. The working groups on affordable energy and AI are crucial. We need affordable tech and energy security for our development. But the drama around South Africa is unnecessary—focus should be on deliverables, not politics.
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Rohit P
Trump's style is always disruptive. But let's see if this actually leads to faster decisions. Sometimes the old G20 talks too much and does too little. If this 'New G20' can cut red tape and boost trade, it might benefit economies like ours. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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Karthik V
The exclusion is a clear message: fall in line or get left out. It's a risky power play. For India, it's a tightrope walk—we must engage with the US priorities while upholding our own strategic autonomy and relationships in the Global South, including Africa.
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Meera T
The priorities sound practical, but the atmosphere is so divisive. How can you build consensus for "affordable energy" or "AI governance" when you start by publicly insulting a member? This feels more like a Trump campaign event than a global economic meeting.

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