JOHANNESBURG, Feb 17 – South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said the United States has not responded to efforts to discuss President Donald Trump’s order cutting U.S. financial assistance, while China has pledged support.
Trump halted aid over concerns about South Africa’s land reform policies and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Lamola said diplomatic channels in Washington had been engaged, but Pretoria was still waiting for a response.
“We are hopeful that they will find time to engage with us,” Lamola told Reuters. South Africa is seeking support from other nations, including China, which has expressed solidarity and readiness to assist through trade and economic ties.
Johannesburg is set to host the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting this week. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will not attend, citing objections to the summit’s theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.’ Lamola said the agenda remains unchanged, as all G20 members had agreed on it.
While U.S. aid is not a major part of South Africa’s budget, there are concerns about the country’s preferential trade status under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). South Africa has taken a non-aligned stance in global affairs, maintaining independence from major powers, including the U.S., China, Russia, and the European Union. This position has drawn Western criticism, particularly for its refusal to isolate Russia over the Ukraine war and for taking Israel to the ICJ.
Lamola reiterated that land reform and the ICJ case were priorities for the government, adding that South Africa was preparing for all possible diplomatic outcomes.
