US Representative to Attend G20 Handover in South Africa, But Boycott Talks Continues

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The United States has confirmed that a representative from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa will attend the formal handover ceremony at the end of this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg. However, the U.S. will still not participate in any talks, a White House official revealed. The decision comes after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed disappointment that the U.S. boycott would leave the country handing over the rotating presidency to an empty chair. Ramaphosa welcomed the U.S. participation, calling it a 'pleasing' change of approach from the world's biggest economy. The U.S. initially announced its boycott due to concerns over South Africa's alleged persecution of its white Afrikaner minority. However, the South African government has repeatedly denied these allegations. The G20 summit aims to address pressing global issues, including climate change, debt burdens, and wealth inequality. Despite the U.S. boycott, other leaders, including China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, have sent delegations to represent them. The summit is expected to issue a joint declaration, despite pressure from the U.S. not to do so. The declaration is a culmination of over 120 meetings hosted by South Africa since it took over the G20's rotating presidency this year. The U.S. has been critical of South Africa's priorities for the G20, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously dismissing them as being focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and climate change. The G20 is a bloc of 19 nations, including the richest and top developing economies, with the European Union and the African Union also being members. South Africa, the first African nation to hold the rotating presidency, is hoping to make progress on issues affecting poor countries at the summit.