G20 foreign ministers gather amid tensions over trade, Ukraine

20 February 2025 - 12:21 By Tim Cocks
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South African's G20 Sous Sherpas, ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo and advocate Nokukhanya Jele during a media briefing for the G20 1st Foreign Ministers meeting to be held at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.
South African's G20 Sous Sherpas, ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo and advocate Nokukhanya Jele during a media briefing for the G20 1st Foreign Ministers meeting to be held at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.
Image: Freddy Mavunda

Foreign ministers from the G20 top economies are meeting in South Africa on Thursday and Friday amid tensions between members over the Ukraine war, trade disputes and with the top US diplomat staying away due to a feud with the hosts.

The G20 countries, which represent about 85% of global GDP and three quarters of trade, often struggle to see eye to eye, but geopolitical rifts since Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion have rendered it more fractious than ever.

The discord has increased since US President Donald Trump took office a month ago and implemented rapid changes in Washington's trade and foreign policies.

South Africa holds the rotating presidency of the group and for President Cyril Ramaphosa the first G20 meeting in Africa was an opportunity to get rich nations to heed poorer countries' concerns — worsening inequality, inadequate action on climate change, and a financial system that favours investment banks over poor sovereign debtors.

But the US won't be attending. Secretary of state Marco Rubio earlier this month rejected as “very bad” the previously agreed agenda of “diversity, equity and inclusion”.

Then Trump cut US aid to South Africa in an ideological dispute with the latter's efforts to redress historic racial injustices in land ownership — and over its genocide case against US ally Israel at the International Court of Justice.

The gathering takes place as Trump has upended the US policy of solidarity with Ukraine as he seeks to broker peace in its war with Russia. He has blamed President Volodymyr Zelensky for the conflict, and sidelined Nato allies in ending a campaign to isolate Russia.

The US absence is an opportunity for China, which has the world's second biggest economy, to expand its influence. Such efforts by Beijing are normally focused on the Global South but China has quickly sought to capitalise on the cracks in the transatlantic alliance.

Its foreign ministry said on Monday that “healthy and stable” China-EU relations are needed now more than ever.

Reuters


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