Canada Backs South Africa’s G20 Leadership Amid US-South Africa Tensions

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to deepening engagement with African partners, including through the G7, following a phone call with South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola. She highlighted South Africa’s historic role as the first African nation to preside over the G20 and expressed Canada’s support for its leadership.

The discussions come ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg on February 20-21. While European Council President António Costa has pledged the EU’s full backing for South Africa’s presidency, tensions with the US are escalating. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he will not attend the summit, following President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze aid to South Africa over its land expropriation policies and its involvement in the genocide case against the Zionist entity at the International Court of Justice.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the G20 meeting, reinforcing Beijing’s support for South Africa’s leadership. The summit is expected to be a crucial platform for global cooperation, despite growing geopolitical divisions.