G20 envoys agree draft declaration despite US boycott, sources say

JOHANNESBURG: G20 envoys have agreed on a draft leaders' declaration ahead of this weekend's summit in Johannesburg without US input, four sources familiar with the matter said on Friday (Nov 21).

The administration of US President Donald Trump has indicated that it will boycott the Nov 22-23 summit over disagreements with the host nation, South Africa.

Trump had said he would not attend the first G20 summit in Africa because of allegations - which have been widely debunked - that the host country's Black majority government persecutes its white minority.

He has also rejected the host nation's agenda of promoting solidarity and helping developing nations adapt to worsening weather disasters, transition to clean energy and cut their excessive debt costs.

In defiance of Washington, G20 countries have included references to "climate change" in the draft declaration, a source familiar with the matter said, without sharing further details. The United States had earlier objected to mentions of climate change.

WHITE HOUSE CALLS DRAFT DECLARATION 'SHAMEFUL'

"It is a longstanding G20 tradition to issue only consensus deliverables, and it is shameful that the South African government is now trying to depart from this standard practice despite our repeated objections," a senior Trump administration official said.

While fearing that a loss of participation from its most powerful member would scupper a declaration at the G20, some analysts still saw an opportunity for the South African hosts, determined to set an agenda for global leaders in the face of Trump's hostility to multilateral diplomacy.

The sources declined to detail the declaration's contents, and it was not clear what concessions had to be made on the language to get everyone to agree.

Three out of four of South Africa's planned top agenda items - preparing for climate-induced weather disasters, financing the transition to green energy, and ensuring the rush for critical minerals benefits producers - were largely about climate change.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that South Africa was in discussions with the United States, which will host the G20 in 2026, over its possible participation in the summit after all, although the White House later denied this.

Ramaphosa had earlier said he was resigned to handing over to an "empty chair". The White House on Thursday said it would send the US charge d'affaires for the G20 handover, an offer which South Africa's presidency rejected.