By Kopano Gumbi and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo
South Africa’s G20 presidency was meant to be an opportunity to get rich, powerful nations to pay attention to poorer countries’ concerns such as burgeoning inequality, crippling sovereign debt and a lack of progress in the fight against climate change.
But the richest, most powerful member, the United States, is not on board. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Feb. 6 South Africa’s G20 goals were “very bad” and he would not attend next week’s meetings with his G20 counterparts in Johannesburg.
In a broader attack on South Africa, President Donald Trump cut U.S. financial assistance to the country, citing disapproval of its land redistribution policy and of its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The U.S. stance “seems to be aimed at making sure that South Africa doesn’t hold a successful G20”, said Ongama Mtimka, acting director at
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