Lamola says US vice president Vance will be welcomed as Trump avoids G20 Summit

INTERNATIONAL Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has stated that the country remains unfazed by United States President Donald Trump’ decision to miss the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg this November.

- MASHUDU SADIKE [e-mail]

Instead, US Vice President JD Vance will represent the country, a move that Lamola has openly welcomed, underscoring South Africa's commitment to diplomatic engagement despite the change in US representation.

‘Trumps nonattendance at the high-stakes summit comes as no surprise, as he had previously indicated his intent to skip the event, citing unsubstantiated claims of systemic persecution and killing of white citizens in South Africa.

These claims have been widely debunked and have contributed to an already strained relationship between Washington and Pretoria. Lamola, however, has chosen to focus on the pragmatic aspects of the US delegation.

Expressing his enthusiasm for engaging with Vance, Lamola stressed that Trump's absence would not sidetrack the critical G20 agenda.

“We welcome the fact that he has assigned or appointed his deputy president, JD Vance, to be the one who attends the G20 in South Africa,’ Lamola said during a national television news interview.