Milei to follow in Trump’s footsteps and skip G20 in South Africa

Government officials responsible for organising the trip worked late into Monday night on the assumption that Javier Milei would attend the next G20 Leaders Summit, taking place over the weekend of November 22 and 23 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It would have been Milei’s second engagement as president with the forum that brings together the world’s 20 largest economies, both developed and emerging – a credential Argentina holds almost by chance, yet remains one of its most valuable.

But last night, sources at the Presidential Office told Perfil that Milei will not be travelling to South Africa. Instead Federico Pinedo, the government’s G20 “sherpa” – who acts as the president’s guide during the summit — and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, will attend on the head of state’s behalf. 

A diplomatic source who was involved in organising the 2018 G20 Leaders Summit in Argentina, the only time it has been held here, warned that the President’s absence “will be seen as a slight to the whole of Africa – moreover, we’re the least significant member of the G20. If we simply follow any reform proposals coming from the United States, we could end up excluded altogether.”

Milei took part a year ago in the G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where he had his first and fleeting encounter with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as well as a bilateral meeting with China’s Xi Jinping. Just weeks before that summit, Milei had realised the importance of maintaining good relations with China, Argentina’s main export destination – in an interview with Susana Giménez, he renounced his previous attacks on Beijing, describing it as a “very interesting trading partner, because they don’t demand anything, they just ask not to be bothered.”

Doubts over Milei’s attendance arose over the weekend, after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would not be sending a delegation to the summit. Trump accused South Africa’s government, led by Cyril Ramaphosa of the historic African National Congress, of allowing serious human rights violations against the Afrikaner minority – white descendants of Dutch, but also French and German settlers – who were central to the apartheid system that ruled South Africa until 1994.

"It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa. Afrikaners are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated," Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social network. "No US government official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue,” he declared.

South Africa’s Foreign Ministry described Washington’s decision as “regrettable” and said the success of the summit “will not depend on a single member state.” Time will tell whether it depends on two.

Milei’s absence from Johannesburg is undoubtedly influenced by Trump’s controversial decision. How could it not be? It remains unclear what commitments were made with the United States in exchange for the financial lifeline from the US Treasury that prevented a currency crisis on the eve of the midterm elections – a move which, according to several analyses, contributed to the government’s victory.

Argentina’s President has shown a stronger preference for private partisan events, especially in the United States, than for global forums. He is an active member of what political scientist Juan Gabriel Tokatlian aptly termed the “Reactionary International.” Yet his place in the world is increasingly being mediated by Washington.

Another experienced diplomat who spoke to this column made an interesting observation about Milei’s conduct. Regarding the President’s appearances on the global stage, he noted a certain “discomfort” in his interactions with other heads of state. “His meetings are brief photo opportunities where nothing of substance is discussed. The number of trips he has made is high, but the number of real meetings he’s had is minimal – and their duration, with one or two exceptions, pathetically short.”

What’s happening in South Africa

Trump had previously raised his allegations of human rights violations during President Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House last May. In what analysts described as an “ambush” (Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy suffered a similar experience), Trump showed the South African leader a video of a controversial former ruling-party figure calling for violence against white minorities (“Shoot the Boer”). Trump also presented Ramaphosa with articles on land seizures, crimes and other abuses, even using the word “genocide.”

There is no evidence of genocide being perpetrated against South Africa’s white minority, according to leading intenrational media outlets. No opposition parties – including those representing white minorities – have made such claims. These reports, analysts agree, are part of misinformation campaigns circulating among far-right groups. 

Crime, however, remains a national tragedy in South Africa, affecting both black and white citizens alike.

A report by ABC News, citing South African experts, said that the violent attacks against what we’d call “farmers” are motivated by theft, not racism. In 2024, the country recorded 26,000 homicides – only 37 took place on farms. For comparison, Argentina saw 1,800 murders last year, according to the National Security Ministry.

Trump’s hostility towards Ramaphosa may have other motives. South Africa has accused Israel before the International Criminal Court of “genocide” over its conduct in Gaza, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths. Ramaphosa has compared Israel’s actions to apartheid. Milei’s alignment with Trump’s sentiment on the issue is complete.

G20: Relevant?

The G20 is a highly significant forum for Argentina and South Africa is also becoming increasingly relevant commercially.

Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico are the only three Latin American nations that belong to the Group of 20. Argentina was invited in 1994 as one of the world’s major debtors, at a time when the Carlos Menem government’s economic reforms were advancing – a familiar tune. In the words of former finance secretary Guillermo Nielsen, Argentina was invited “not by virtue but by defect: the excessive debt it had accumulated and the risk this posed to emerging economies.”

The G20 is a key arena for shaping Argentina’s foreign relations with the major global powers. It is well known that Milei is not fond of multilateralism. Examples: he did not attend the Amazon Climate Conference in Brazil, which addressed the devastating effects of global warming (Trump also skipped it, though Lula personally invited him); nor did Milei attend the CELAC–EU summit held last weekend in Colombia, citing ideological differences with Gustavo Petro.

As for South Africa, it is Argentina’s fourth-largest export destination within Africa, mainly for agricultural manufactures and energy, but also refrigerators, motor vehicles, and vaccines. 

Trade has historically been favourable to Argentina. In October 2024, the Foreign Ministry announced that South Africa had approved the import of powdered bovine and porcine haemoglobin from Argentina – “a valuable commercial opportunity for the country,” they said at the time.

It is difficult to justify the Argentine president’s absence from South Africa. Perhaps behind the decision lies with nothing more than a simple case of mimicry with Trump.