Global leaders firmly behind SA at historic African G20

WORLD leaders arrived in South Africa in significant numbers to attend this weekend's G20 Summit despite persistent attempts by US President Donald Trump to intimidate our country and derail the gathering. His efforts have produced a spectacle that leaves the US appearing confused and weak on the global diplomatic stage.

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ANTÓNIO Costa, left, the president of the European Council, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union Commission, in discussion at the South Africa-European Union Trilateral Leaders' Meeting held in Sandton on Thursday. The overwhelming international support at this G20 shows that many countries reject Trump's narrow transactional logic, says the writer.

(GCIS)

South Africa approached the event with a steady hand grounded in a proud legacy of resistance. We have struggled against colonialism for centuries. We have endured and overcome apartheid in its most brutal form. These histories have taught us the value of people-centred governance. Our liberation struggle placed morality at its core.

Leaders such as Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela understood that diplomacy must be rooted in justice. Their work in international solidarity helped to isolate the apartheid regime until it had no choice but to negotiate. That tradition of principled diplomacy remains central to us today.

The US, under Trump, may command considerable economic resources, but post-apartheid South Africa brings moral authority forged through decades of sacrifice and civic commitment.

This authority informs the decisions the country makes when it confronts external pressure. Trump's transactional political style is based on the assumption that all countries will respond to incentives and threats in a predictable manner.

South Africa cannot be compelled in this manner. Our sovereignty is a constitutional commitment and a principle that anchors our public institutions. Decisions taken by this government are aligned with national interests, democratic values, and the expectations of the South African people.