South African Leader Ramaphosa Downplays Rift With Trump

WATCH: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the Group of 20 nations to set aside their differences and focus on tackling the world’s most pressing challenges. Jennifer Zabasajja reports from Soweto.Source: Bloomberg

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By S'thembile Cele

February 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM UTC

Updated on

February 20, 2025 at 5:52 PM UTC

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South Africa will work to “iron out wrinkles” in its relationship with the US, and the absence of Washington’s top diplomat from Group of 20 meetings in Johannesburg isn’t “a boycott,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

“We will continue to find ways, avenues and means through which we can continue relating to each other,” Ramaphosa told reporters in Johannesburg Thursday. Pretoria has resolved to use diplomatic processes to deal with issues that “may have appeared in our relationship.”