G20 Leaders Adopt Declaration in South Africa Despite U.S. Boycott

Leaders of the Group of 20 economies adopted a joint declaration at the opening of their summit in Johannesburg on Saturday, going ahead without the United States, which is boycotting the meeting, CBS News and NBC News (via the Associated Press) reported.

The 122-point declaration was adopted unanimously by the members present, according to a spokesman for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, CBS News reported. Declarations are normally adopted at the end of a G20 summit, not the start. The text urges more global action on problems that fall hardest on poor countries, such as climate-related disasters and sovereign debt, and the host promoted it as a victory for the first G20 summit in Africa. South African officials said the U.S. had pressured the host not to adopt a declaration without an American delegation, CBS News reported. Argentina said it did not endorse the text, the network said.

Mr. Ramaphosa told the opening session that “consensus has emerged,” the outlets reported. CBS News said that his remarks about adopting the declaration “now” were apparently broadcast by mistake during what was meant to be the start of closed-door talks, and that he said, “I’m told that the cameras are still on. They should be off.”

President Trump ordered the U.S. boycott over his claims that South Africa pursues racist anti-white policies and persecutes its white Afrikaner minority, NBC News reported. The administration had also made clear its opposition to South Africa’s agenda, which centers on climate change and global inequality, from the start of the year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in February, calling the agenda all about diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change, and said he would not waste American taxpayers’ money on that, NBC News reported.

Others expressed regret at the absence. French President Emmanuel Macron said, “I do regret it, but it should not block us. Our duty is to be present, engage and work all together because we have so many challenges,” NBC News reported. Argentine President Javier Milei skipped the summit in solidarity with Mr. Trump, sending his foreign minister instead, CBS News said.

South Africa holds the rotating presidency and sets the agenda. It wants leaders to agree to more help for poor countries to recover from climate disasters, reduce foreign debt burdens, move to green energy and capture the value of their critical minerals, both outlets reported. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said of whether the G20 could prioritize developing nations, “We’ll see,” adding that South Africa “has done its part in putting those things clearly upon the table.”

The summit is being held at an exhibition center near Soweto, once home to Nelson Mandela, according to both outlets. NBC News noted that the G20 includes the world’s largest economy among its members, which in this case sat out.