'Petty politics' behind Trump's G20 boycott

EXPERTS have sounded the alarm that US President Donald Trump's decision to boycott the G20 Summit in Johannesburg may have serious implications for South Africa's participation in global agendas, as it might be sidelined under the US's G20 presidency.

- RAPULA MOATSHE

The US's decision to snub the summit is reportedly over allegations of white farmer persecution in South Africa, claims that have been widely rejected by the South African government and independent observers. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa called the US decision to snub the summit "their loss", saying that "boycott politics doesn't work" and that the summit will proceed without the US.

However, experts believe that the US absence may have far-reaching ramifications, particularly on issues like reform, finance, and development.

Dr Nomvula Mphahlele, a researcher on SA foreign policy, said: "The US sponsors most of the international initiatives like climate change; they use a huge amount of money for the operation of the United Nations and other financial institutions like the World Trade Organisation. If the US is boycotting, then it sends a strong message of the future of multilateralism and how the G20 is going to operate moving forward."