Germany Steps In — Chancellor Merz to Confront Trump Over SA’s G20 Snub
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has broken his silence on the growing diplomatic storm between Washington and Pretoria.
Merz says he will personally urge US President Donald Trump to rethink his controversial decision to block South Africa from attending the 2026 G20 Summit.
According to officials in Berlin, Germany views South Africa as a key strategic partner, especially on global trade, clean-energy cooperation and peacekeeping in Africa. Merz reportedly believes that isolating South Africa will damage the G20’s credibility and destabilise an already fragile geopolitical climate.
He’s expected to raise the issue directly during upcoming G20 preparatory meetings, pushing for a reversal of Trump’s decision and stressing that the world cannot afford a divided G20 at a time of rising global tensions.
This comes as several European leaders quietly express concern about the US approach, warning that excluding South Africa — one of Africa’s biggest economies — could set a dangerous precedent.
South Africa may be under pressure, but global allies are beginning to speak up.