South Africa is preparing to send a team to the United States to negotiate agreements on trade, diplomacy, and other critical issues, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday.
The move comes after former US President Donald Trump sharply criticized the South African government earlier this month.
Speaking at a G20 event in South Africa, Ramaphosa said his government wants to engage with the new US administration constructively. He emphasized that the goal is not just to explain South Africa’s position but to reach meaningful agreements on a range of matters.
Tensions between the two nations escalated after Trump accused South Africa of “confiscating” land from white farmers. His comments referred to a new law signed by Ramaphosa last month, which allows the government to expropriate land with “nil compensation” in specific cases to address historic land ownership inequalities. Despite the controversy, Ramaphosa described an initial “wonderful” phone call with Trump after he took office in January but admitted that relations have since become strained.
The diplomatic rift was further highlighted when US foreign and finance ministers skipped this month’s G20 meetings in South Africa. The absence raised concerns about the future of US-South Africa relations, especially as the United States remains the country’s second-largest trading partner and will assume the G20 presidency next year.
Ramaphosa stressed that a deal with Washington is essential, covering trade, politics, and diplomacy. The upcoming negotiations will be closely watched as South Africa seeks to mend relations and secure its economic and diplomatic interests on the global stage.