SA-UK - New bedfellows?

By Lizeka Tandwa and Caiphus Kgosana

A possible deal that would have seen UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accept and hand over the final declaration of the G20 to the US on behalf of South Africa, due to the absence of President Donald Trump, had to be abandoned at the last minute.

The UK has been a major supporter of South Africa’s presidency of the G20, and some local officials had felt that a handover of the declaration to Starmer would have been smoother, as the UK is more aligned with the country’s agenda.

The UK’s high commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, said his country, as president of the G20 for 2027, will work with South Africa and the US through the G20 troika mechanism to ensure continuity of key items on the agenda going forward.

“There are two aspects to that,” he said. “First of all ... we will take on the presidency in 2027 and South Korea will then come after us in 2028. I think it’s probably a little premature to think about what our priorities will be in 2027, but ... there are a number of themes that South Africa has pursued, whether it’s on the climate side, environmental sustainability, development, trade, education or employment.

“Those sorts of themes are absolutely essential to what the G20 is there to address, which are the big financial, economic and societal issues of the day. I would be surprised if those themes were not reflected in our priorities in 2027, as they have been as we have engaged with South Africa through this year.”