Secretary of State: US bows out of G20 forums in South Africa amid diplomatic tensions

US Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio has confirmed that the US will not be participating in the upcoming G20 forums in South Africa, including both foreign minister-level discussions and the summit of heads of state and government.

Rubio made these remarks during a hearing at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Caliber.Az reports via Chinese media.

"We decided not to participate in this year's G20 hosted by South Africa, either at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or at the level of the president, and this was largely due to some of these issues that they put on their agenda and which, as we think, they do not reflect the priorities of this administration," Rubio said.

The move reflects ongoing tensions between the US and South Africa, with Rubio citing disagreements over the G20 agenda. He explained that the priorities outlined by South Africa for the summit do not align with the objectives of the current US administration. The US National Security Council has instructed US government agencies to suspend all cooperation with the G20, which is hosting events in South Africa this year.

The decision, as reported, is linked to threats by US President Donald Trump to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg this November. This stance comes in response to reports alleging that the South African government is seizing land from white citizens under a new expropriation law.

South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has strongly denied any persecution in South Africa, including against white farmers. Lamola addressed the issue last week while commenting on the departure of the first group of South African citizens to the US under a resettlement programme. On May 12, the first group of 49 white farmers and their families, granted refugee status by US authorities, flew from Johannesburg to Washington.

By Naila Huseynova