(MENAFN) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed Sunday that his country will remain a full and active participant in the G20, dismissing threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to exclude Pretoria from next year’s summit. Trump had criticized South Africa over alleged abuses against its white minority and last week stated that the nation would not be invited to the 2026 Florida summit, claiming it was unfit for membership “anywhere.”

In his state of the nation address, Ramaphosa said that South Africa had formally handed over the rotating G20 presidency to Washington while “observing the appropriate diplomatic protocols.” He stressed that the country, a founding member of the G20, will continue to act in “its own name and right,” despite recent tensions with the U.S.

Ramaphosa also rejected Trump’s claims that South Africa is committing “genocide against Afrikaners” or expropriating land from white citizens, calling them “blatant misinformation.”

He noted that the U.S. stance has been influenced by a long-running campaign of disinformation originating from various actors both inside and outside South Africa.

Highlighting ongoing cooperation, Ramaphosa emphasized that South Africa remains a “firm and unwavering friend of the American people,” pointing to the extensive participation of U.S. businesses and civil society in G20-related events in Johannesburg. “We value the US and its people as a partner. We affirm our commitment to continue to engage in dialogue with the US, and to do so with respect and with dignity as equal sovereign countries,” he said.

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