South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola expressed disappointment on Monday over the failure of the US to respond to his attempts in Pretoria to discuss President Donald Trump’s latest executive order halting US financial aid to South Africa. Despite repeated efforts to engage through his mission in Washington, South Africa has yet to receive any feedback from the US, Lamola told in an interview.
While the US has remained indifferent, Lamola said China has shown solidarity, offered support in terms of trade relations and tackled the challenges South Africa may face. “China has promised to stand by us and provide support,” he said.
Bilateral Meetings and G20 Focus
South Africa is holding bilateral meetings with other countries, including China, to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties in response to the situation. Lamola also touched on the upcoming G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, which South Africa is hosting in Johannesburg this weekend. Despite objections from the US, particularly from Senator Marco Rubio, to South Africa’s G20 theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” Lamola stressed that the agenda will proceed as planned and that all G20 members have previously agreed on this.
While South Africa is not heavily dependent on US aid, concerns persist that the country’s preferential trade status under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) could be at risk. Lamola stressed that South Africa’s stance on key issues, such as its land reform policy and its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the Gaza conflict, remains “non-negotiable.”