South Africa holds the presidency of the G20 in 2025 following Brazil last year and is due to hand on to the US next year. But relations between the US and South Africa are at their lowest ebb in decades with the Trump administration declaring the South African Ambassador persona non grata and issuing an Executive Order terminating assistance to South Africa and promoting the resettlement of Afrikaner ‘refugees’ escaping ‘government-sponsored race-based discrimination’.
South Africa’s eligibility in AGOA is under serious question in the US Congress and several South African government officials and ANC leaders may be sanctioned due to alleged corruption or human rights abuses.
At the same time, the 8th EU-South Africa Summit held on 13 March 2025 – the first high-level engagement between the two since 2018 – demonstrated a renewed commitment to strengthen the strategic partnership based on democracy, human rights and multilateralism. At the Summit, the EU announced a €4.7 billion investment package under the Global Gateway initiative, focused on clean energy, industrial competitiveness and sustainable development.
In the months ahead, the international community will convene the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the Second World Social Development Summit, and climate talks at COP30, as well as the G20 Summit in late November in South Africa.
South Africa’s agenda for the G20 meetings includes reconstruction of the global financial architecture to enable debt sustainability and affordable financing for development, and for a just energy transition, under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”. Thus far, US officials have boycotted the meetings of G20 Foreign Ministers and Finance Ministers held in February, with indications that the US will also boycott the summit.
Where does this leave South Africa – and indeed the global community? How can South Africa position itself in this tumultuous world to best advance its goals within the G20, as well as in its bilateral relations with the US, the countries of the European Union, and its partners in the BRICS+?
Speaker
Hon. Emma Louise Powell has been a Member of Parliament in South Africa since 2019 and serves as the National Spokesperson for International Relations and Cooperation for the Democratic Alliance.
Prior to this, she worked as the Chief of Staff to the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition in Parliament, previously having held several key positions in local government.
Emma holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Cape Town, a cum laude Honours degree in Political Science and Bachelors degree in Law and Political Science.
RSVP
Email Pippa Segall: wcbranch@saiia.org.za
Cost
- Visitors R80; students R20 (donation)
- Entrance is free for SAIIA members
Refreshments will be served before the event.
We look forward to your attendance and participation.
