US snubs South Africa at G20 meeting
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has not been accredited to attend the upcoming meeting of the Group of 20 finance chiefs in Washington, DC, US.
Godongwana, who is travelling to the USA to take part in meetings with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, confirmed that he and South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago will not be attending the event. “We are members of the G20. However, the US has not accredited us, which means that SA will not be part of the G20 for the whole of this year,” he said.
The US took over the annual rotating presidency of the G20 from South Africa in 2024 and it will next pass to the UK. The G20 traditionally meets on the sidelines of the bi-annual IMF and World Bank gatherings.
Nevertheless, Germany on Monday agreed to give South Africa a new 200 million euro concessional climate loan which will support investment in the country's power grid and renewable energy capacity,
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola who met with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul in Berlin, said German and EU funding for green hydrogen and battery value chain co-operation had also been extended by more than 270m million euros. “We feel we are part of (the G20) because of the support that we have received from Germany and from other G20 members,” Lamola said.
-0- PANA CU/MA 14April2026
