German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on US President Donald Trump to rethink his choice to exclude South Africa from the upcoming Group of 20 summit scheduled for December in Miami.Merz commented, “Africa belongs at the table,” during the Berlin Global Dialogue conference on Wednesday. He further stated, “The African Union is a member of the G-20, and so is South Africa.”
He added, “That’s why I urge that South Africa be represented at the G-20 summit.”
Despite being a member of the G-20, South Africa was notably left off the invitation list announced by Trump last year.
The US president defended his stance by reiterating claims that South Africa is perpetrating genocide against its white population.
In response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office strongly dismissed these allegations, labeling them as “misinformation and distortions about our country.”
In a controversial move, Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G-20, which has faced backlash from other member nations.
Putin is expected to travel to China for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month, but reports from Bloomberg News suggest he may skip the G-20 meeting.
Under the Trump administration, the number of refugees allowed into the US has significantly decreased, with a particular focus on white South Africans, marking a stark contrast to previous policies that welcomed many fleeing violence and persecution.
