The United States announced a major reshaping of the G20 forum as it prepares to host the 2026 G20 Leaders' Summit in Miami, Florida. This fresh vision includes welcoming Poland as a new member while explicitly excluding South Africa, the current G20 president.

The exclusion reflects strong US criticisms of South Africa's policies and political stance under its ruling African National Congress (ANC) government.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the "New G20" initiative in a blog post titled 'America Welcomes a New G20'. Rubio described this revamped forum as focusing on three primary themes: removing regulatory hindrances, securing affordable and resilient energy supply chains, and spearheading innovation, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

The US government intends to steer the group towards economic pragmatism and technological advancement, discarding what it views as ideological distractions.

Rubio directly criticised South Africa's leadership for prioritising policies of "spite, division, and radical agendas" during its presidency. He accused the ANC regime of undermining the nation’s potential through "redistributionist policies" and racially motivated economic quotas that have, in his view, crippled the economy.

He painted a picture of a country that, despite its rich resources, strategic location, and foundational goodwill post-apartheid, has stagnated due to economic mismanagement and corruption.

The Secretary of State recalled South Africa’s post-apartheid promise under Nelson Mandela as a nation bent on reconciliation and private sector-driven economic growth. He lamented how Mandela’s successors abandoned this vision, leading to capital flight and a shrinking private economy.

Rubio further alleged that the current South African government tolerates violence against Afrikaner farmers, scapegoats its citizens and the United States, and aligns with adversaries like Iran and Hamas sympathisers.

The US claims South Africa’s G20 presidency was marked by ignoring American diplomatic inputs, blocking negotiations, and engaging in hostile acts such as "doxxing" American officials. It further accused the South African presidency of focusing excessively on "climate change, diversity and inclusion, and aid dependency," sidelining substantive economic issues.

As a consequence, the US administration, under President Trump’s leadership, decided not to extend an invitation to South Africa for the 2026 summit. Rubio emphasised that a "place for good-faith disagreement" exists within the G20, but not one for dishonesty or sabotage.

The US reiterated that if South Africa is prepared to make the "tough decisions" necessary to reform its system, it would be welcome back in future iterations of the forum.

Trump himself has been vocal on this issue, previously accusing South Africa of committing "horrific human rights abuses" against Afrikaners and descendants of European settlers. He highlighted alleged farm attacks and criticised the South African government’s failure to address these concerns. This rhetoric fueled the US decision to also skip the 2025 G20 summit held in Johannesburg.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by condemning the US actions as regrettable, stating that despite his efforts to reset diplomatic relations, the US continues punitive measures based on what he described as misinformation and distorted claims. The diplomatic fallout reflects significant tension between Pretoria and Washington over human rights, economic policy, and geopolitical alliances.

In stark contrast, Poland's inclusion in the new G20 was lauded by Rubio as a success story of post-Cold War resilience. Poland exemplifies the US vision for the forum: a future-oriented partnership promoting mutual growth over grievance-driven politics.

The US plans to organise several preparatory meetings ahead of the 2026 summit, including Sherpa and Finance Track sessions in Washington in December 2025. These meetings will forge the groundwork for cooperation on regulatory reform, energy supply, and technology innovation, as set out in the New G20 agenda.

This US-led reconfiguration of the G20 represents a racially and politically charged realignment of global economic diplomacy. It emphasises technological progress and market liberalisation while emphasising a tough stance against governments viewed as impediments to investment and reform. 

South Africa’s exclusion signals a significant rupture in multilateral cooperation, underscoring the deep geopolitical divisions shaping global economic governance heading into 2026.

Based On ANI Report