President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government must be applauded for hosting a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit in Nasrec over the weekend. The event proceeded smoothly, with leaders reaching consensus on the declaration on the very first day.
This milestone was achieved despite a boycott by the world’s largest economy, the United States. Washington had warned our government against adopting a declaration in President Donald Trump’s absence. Yet, with the support of the majority of G20 countries, a declaration was announced on Saturday.
This outcome demonstrates that SA’s strained relations with the US have not isolated us from the global community. On the contrary, it shows that despite Trump’s attitude towards SA, most global players regard our country as a key actor in geopolitics.
There was a time when our influence on the global stage was waning and our role as a continental superpower had diminished. However, Ramaphosa’s administration has, in recent years, worked hard to revive SA’s status as a respected global player.
Notably, our stance on the conflict in the Middle East has earned us respect as a nation committed to human rights and dignity. While many countries looked away as thousands of Palestinians were bombed daily, the South African government approached the International Court of Justice to report Israel for committing genocide in Gaza. Many observers believe this position influenced the Trump administration’s hostile attitude towards SA.
Equally commendable was the government’s refusal this weekend to allow Ramaphosa to hand over the G20 presidency to a junior US embassy official. While this decision may further strain relations between the two countries, it sent a clear message: no single nation can dictate to others how they should conduct their affairs.
We should expect that some voices will call for SA to be punished for its principled stance. Yet, trade relations between the two countries remain mutually beneficial, and SA should insist that negotiations continue.
Trump’s term will eventually come to an end. When the US is hopefully once again under rational leadership, there will be an opportunity to rekindle the strong relations of the past.
For now, we must accept that nothing will convince the Trump administration to change its views on SA. As the G20 Summit concluded yesterday, it will be remembered for the bold decisions taken by the Ramaphosa government — decisions that cemented our place as a serious player in global politics, unwilling to be pushed around.
Sowetan
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