President Cyril Ramaphosa has revealed late discussions about US involvement in the G20 Summit, raising questions on the extent of that country’s participation. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda / GCIS) 
President Cyril Ramaphosa has deepened the mystery about whether the US will participate in this weekend’s G20 Summit after all.
President Donald Trump recently announced that no US official would attend the summit. The US has not been participating in the negotiations for an outcome document for the summit, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.
But on Thursday, 20 November, Ramaphosa was asked, at a press conference with EU Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to confirm a report on the SABC that the US government had changed its mind and had asked to participate in the G20.
“We have received notice from the United States, a notice which we are still in discussions with them over, about a change of mind, about participating in one shape, form or other in the summit,” a giggling Ramaphosa said.
“So the discussions are still ongoing. This comes really at the late hour before the summit begins, and so therefore we do need to get into those types of discussions to see how practical it is and what it primarily really means.
‘Positive sign’
“In a way, we see this as a positive sign, a very positive and political sign. As I’ve often said, boycott politics never work. It’s always best to be inside the tent than being outside of the tent.
“The tent is G20, all countries are here, and the United States, the biggest economy in the world, needs to be here. So it’s pleasing to hear that there is a change of approach, and so we are still discussing how that will manifest.”
Read more: US makes clear it will oppose a G20 Johannesburg Leaders’ Declaration
Ramaphosa was later asked if he meant, by saying that the US request had come at the eleventh hour, that SA might turn it down.
He said the US was a member of the G20 and had a right to be at the summit.
“And all we would be seeking to do is to look at the various practicalities, logistical and otherwise, for them to participate. You should know that because it’s a gathering of G20 leaders, there is a lot of logistics that go into getting the leaders to come to the venue and to participate, and how they will speak … their speaking order and all that.
“So those are matters that have not been pre-planned … so we need to understand precisely how all that will pan out.”
Daily Maverick heard from good sources that all that the US had requested was for its charge d’affaires or acting ambassador to Pretoria, Marc Dillard, to participate in the ceremony at the end of the summit to hand over the presidency of the G20 from SA to the US, which will be the president next year.
Accreditation request
Daily Maverick has seen the letter that the embassy wrote to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, making this clear. It says Dillard “will participate in the G20 Presidency handover ceremony as part of the closing session on November 23”. The letter requested accreditation and other assistance for Dillard and seven support staff.
At the press conference, Daily Maverick asked Ramaphosa to clarify exactly what sort of participation the US had requested and whether it was more than just for Dillard to participate in the handover ceremony.
“There was another communication which came as we were seated here in this bilateral meeting. So we still started digesting that one,” Ramaphosa said
“It’s now seemingly moved away from the chargé just receiving the role that they must now play. That’s precisely what we are now examining.”
Anna Kelly, the deputy White House press secretary, posted “Fake News” in reply to a post about the SABC story.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarifies that the United States will not participate in official talks at the G20 Summit and says President Cyril Ramaphosa was “running his mouth” with false claims. https://t.co/rvZq5gI0ax pic.twitter.com/lMr436zbww
— Ofentse Donald Davhie (@DonaldDavhie) November 20, 2025
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the US position had not changed and it was not participating in talks. She said Ramaphosa was “running his mouth a little bit against the United States”. DM