JOHANNESBURG (AP) \u2014 A representative from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa will attend the formal handover ceremony at the end of this weekend\u2019s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, but the United States will still not take part in any talks, a White House official said Thursday.<\/p>\n
The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, was responding to comments by South Africa\u2019s president that the U.S. had indicated it had a \u201cchange of mind\u201d over its boycott at the \u201c11th hour\u201d and would take part in the summit.<\/p>\n
U.S. President Donald Trump announced this month that no U.S. government official would attend the two-day meeting of world leaders from rich and developing countries in South Africa\u2019s biggest city.<\/p>\n
Trump cited South Africa\u2019s alleged race-based persecution of its white Afrikaner minority as the reason for the U.S. boycott. The U.S. is due to take over the rotating presidency of the G20 from South Africa, and a formal handover ceremony is traditional at the end of each summit.<\/p>\n
Ramaphosa has previously expressed disappointment that the U.S. boycott would mean he hands over to an \u201cempty chair\u201d at the end of the summit.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, South Africa\u2019s leader said he welcomed U.S. participation at Africa\u2019s first G20 summit and viewed the late communication as a \u201cpleasing\u201d change of approach from the world biggest economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States is a member of the G20, they are an original member of the G20, so they have the right to be here,\u201d Ramaphosa said. \u201cAnd all we are seeking to do is looking at the practicalities … for them to participate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ramaphosa had also addressed the U.S. boycott \u2014 which threatens to undermine the summit \u2014 earlier Thursday, when he said that the G20 meeting would issue a joint declaration despite pressure from Washington not to issue one. <\/p>\n
A South African G20 official said earlier this week that the U.S. had sent diplomatic communication to South Africa advising that that \u201cthere should be no declaration adopted\u201d at the summit because the U.S. was not there and therefore there would be no consensus.<\/p>\n
Instead, the U.S. wants a toned-down statement from South Africa only to cap the summit, which is a culmination of more than 120 meetings that Africa\u2019s most advanced economy has hosted since it took over the G20\u2019s rotating presidency for this year.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after an earlier speech, Ramaphosa said: \u201cWe will have a declaration. The talks are going extremely well. I\u2019m confident we are moving towards a declaration, and they are now just dotting the i\u2019s and crossing the t\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the United States, the whole process of the G20 is moving forward. We will not be bullied. We will not agree to be bullied.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump has repeatedly targeted South Africa for criticism since he returned to office. He held a tense meeting with Ramaphosa<\/a> at the White House in May, when he confronted South Africa\u2019s leader with baseless claims of widespread violence against Afrikaners in South Africa.<\/p>\n The U.S. president has repeated his claims in the leadup to the G20 that Ramaphosa\u2019s Black-led government is pursuing racist anti-white policies against the Afrikaner white minority.<\/p>\n The G20 is a bloc made up of 19 nations, including the richest but also the top developing economies. The European Union and the African Union are also members.<\/p>\n South Africa, which is the first African nation to hold the rotating presidency, is hoping to use its summit to make progress on issues especially affecting poor countries. That includes mitigating the impact of climate change<\/a> and weather-related disasters, easing debt burdens for developing countries and confronting global wealth inequality.<\/a><\/p>\n The U.S. has previously derided South Africa\u2019s priorities for the group, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipping a G20 foreign ministers meeting in February and dismissing South Africa\u2019s priorities as being about diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change.<\/p>\n Rubio said he would not waste U.S. taxpayer money on that agenda.<\/p>\n Other leaders are also skipping the G20 summit, including China\u2019s Xi Jinping, Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin and Argentina\u2019s Javier Milei, but they have sent delegations to represent them.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only country that is not in the room is the United States and, of course, is their choice not to be in the room,\u201d Xolisa Mabhongo, a South African ambassador to the G20, told national broadcaster SABC this week.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Price reported from Washington.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n