At the G20 summit in South Africa, world leaders adopted a joint declaration at the outset, despite a boycott by the United States over a diplomatic rift with the host nation. South African officials revealed the US had pressured them not to proceed without an American delegation, but President Cyril Ramaphosa defiantly stated, “we will not be bullied.”

He hailed the declaration’s adoption as a victory for multilateralism and a signal that the G20 remains committed to inclusive global progress.

While South Africa claimed the declaration was unanimous, Argentina dissented, with its president skipping the summit in solidarity with the US. This early adoption broke from tradition, underscoring South Africa’s drive for consensus on issues like climate change and inequality, even in the face of the US boycott.

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