President Cyril Ramaphosa says US President Donald Trump will not intimidate or derail the G20 Leaders’ Summit, despite reports that Trump has urged South Africa and other member states not to endorse the final G20 Declaration.
Speaking at the closing session of the G20 Social Summit in Boksburg, Ramaphosa stressed that global decision-making must not be influenced by pressure from any single powerful nation.
This comes as world leaders prepare for the formal G20 Leaders’ Summit, where negotiations over the final declaration often highlight tensions between major economies. Trump’s objections according to diplomatic sources relate to disagreements over global trade, climate financing and ongoing geopolitical disputes. South Africa, as the 2025 host, has been pushing for a more inclusive, development-focused agenda.
Ramaphosa reiterated that all countries within the G20 are equal and must be treated as such.
“It cannot be that a country’s geographical location, income level or army determines who has a voice or who is spoken down to,” he said. “There cannot be bullying of one nation by another.”
He said genuine cooperation can only succeed when every member state, big or small, has an equal voice at the table.
“When we chose the theme of advancing a vision for credible global cooperation, we did not mean a small club of leaders. We meant the people of the world must be part of that vision.”
Ramaphosa also reminded delegates that the G20 represents about 85% of the world’s GDP, giving the bloc enormous influence over global economic and political trends.
The United States is set to host the next G20 Summit in 2026.
