World leaders are gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic capital, this weekend for the annual Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit – the first ever to be held in an African country amid a boycott by the United States over widely discredited claims that the host country mistreats white people.
About 42 countries and institutions will be represented at the meeting that starts on Saturday, but the US, under President Donald Trump – who has condemned South Africa’s position as host – will be conspicuously absent.
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Washington, a founding member of the group, is next in line to take over the rotating presidency from Pretoria, and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised to symbolically hand over to an empty chair if necessary.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa said the US had reached out at the last minute to agree on some kind of participation, but did not disclose details. But within hours, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt hit back, accusing Ramaphosa of “running his mouth,” insisting that the US position had not changed, and that the South African leader’s comments were “not appreciated by the president [Trump] or his team.”
She did, however, indicate that the US would send an official for the handover ceremony, as it takes over the G20’s presidency from South Africa. Acting US ambassador to South Africa Marc D Dillard might be the official tasked with this responsibility, though this has not yet been confirmed.
Despite the drama over the US attendance, Johannesburg has been buzzing with activity all week in preparation for the summit, as workers clean up and decorate the bustling city. Ramaphosa himself drew surprise when he donned dungarees and picked up cleaning tools.
Bright flowers and colourful G20 billboards adorn the streets through which dignitaries will pass on their way from the OR Tambo international airport into the city.
At least 3,500 extra police officials have been deployed to bolster security for the high-level guests, while the army has been placed on standby.
Some South Africans, though, have voiced criticism of the expensive event, pointing to the economic challenges the country faces. Several protests by organisations from climate action groups to women’s rights defenders are also planned around the airport and the venue of the summit.
Here’s what we know about the summit:
What is the G20, and when is the summit?
The G20 was founded in 1999 as an informal economic grouping of the world’s biggest economic powers.
But it was the 2008 economic crisis that propelled the G20 into prominence: In a world where major Global South economies like China and India were playing increasingly vital roles, the G7 grouping of seven wealthy nations was no longer equipped to stop the financial bloodbath that spanned continents.
Since then, G20 leaders have met at least once every year for summits.
The grouping originally comprised 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and the US), plus the European Union as the 20th entity. Since 2023, the African Union has been a member, too. Combined, they represent 85 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) and two-thirds of the world’s population, according to the G20.
G20 country representatives meet throughout the year to discuss pressing issues. But in November, the leaders meet for the annual summit.
The leaders’ summit marks the culmination of the host country’s yearlong stewardship and usually ends with a non-binding leaders’ declaration. In Brazil last November, leaders issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by a 2030 deadline.
South Africa has held the presidency since November 2024 and will hand over to the US on November 30, 2025. This weekend’s meeting will take place over two days from Saturday, November 22, at Johannesburg’s 150,000 square-metre Nasrec Expo Centre, the country’s largest convention centre.
Who is attending?
Forty-two countries and organisations have confirmed their attendance, according to South African officials speaking to reporters on Monday.
At least six heads of state are not attending the summit, though, apart from the US, the others are sending high-level representatives, Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said, describing this attendance rate as a “success” for South Africa.
Some of the most notable names expected at the summit include: China’s Premier Li Qiang, French President Emmanuel Macron, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
📍Touchdown in Joburg for an intense week ahead across the continent.
• Leaders’ Meeting with South Africa, with key discussions on trade, raw materials and clean energy
• First-ever G20 Summit on African soil
• Final pledging event of our Scaling Up Renewables for Africa… pic.twitter.com/2txQkN4B0R
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 20, 2025
African Union Commission chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, President of the European Council Antonio Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also be present.
Why is the US boycotting the summit this year?
Trump’s absence from the meeting will be the most notable and has threatened to overshadow the summit’s agenda and undermine South Africa’s position.
Last week, the US president denounced South Africa’s leadership of the G20 and said he would not attend, citing alleged discrimination against South Africa’s minority white population and inaccurately alleging a “genocide” of white farmers.
Trump has made several unsubstantiated claims of “genocide” since he returned to the White House in January, following South Africa’s passing of a new law seeking to address disparities in land ownership, three-quarters of which is owned by the country’s white minority.
In February, the Trump administration cut foreign aid to South Africa, a move which could be a major threat to the nation’s HIV response, according to experts.
During a heated exchange with Trump at the White House in May, President Ramaphosa denied claims of a “white genocide” and said South Africa generally experiences high crime rates, which a