When it assumed the presidency of the G20 last year, South Africa hoped that as the first African country to host the gathering of world leaders, it could champion issues that mattered the most to developing nations.
For instance, it wanted the 20 heads of state from the world's biggest economies to consider arguments that borrowing should be cheaper for developing countries, which pay two to four times more in interest on debts than more advanced economies.
Other themes of this weekend's summit include securing climate change financing, increasing the participation of African countries in multilateral forums and ensuring that they get the best value out of their critical minerals.
But so far, discourse surrounding the meeting has been dominated by Donald Trump's very public decision not to attend.
The US president said he would not go due to the widely discredited claim that South Africa's white minority is the victim of large-scale killings and land grabs. The relationship between the two countries has become increasingly fraught over the past year - the US expelled the South African ambassador to Washington, cut some of its aid funding and slapped South Africa with tariffs of 30% (the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa).
And finally, after initially saying he would send Vice-President JD Vance to the G20 summit, Trump abruptly announced two weeks ago that no US representatives would attend.
The government in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, has tried to maintain a defiant but diplomatic tone. It has firmly denied claims of a white genocide and insisted that the summit would proceed with or without the US.
In a sudden about-face, and with less than 48 hours to go before the G20 conference, the US announced that it would be sending a small team of its in-country diplomats to the handover ceremony but that it wouldn't take part in any discussions.
As tension between the two nations shows no sign of letting up, there are concerns that South African diplomats may be frozen out of meetings when the US takes over the G20 presidency next year.
Some leaders are also absent from the meeting. Apart from Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping is sending his Premier, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is also skipping the summit due to an International Criminal Court warrant against him.
Despite these challenges, South African Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, highlighted that South Africa’s representation at the summit remains significant, emphasizing that the country does not need permission to engage as a G20 member.
While Trump's absence has raised eyebrows, some analysts believe it may open up new opportunities for genuine dialogue. Professor Richard Calland suggests that the absence of a polarizing figure like Trump might foster more constructive discussions among the remaining members. As South Africa strives to engage with other nations on pressing global issues, it seeks to prove that diplomatic efforts can yield results even without the presence of the world's most powerful nation.
For instance, it wanted the 20 heads of state from the world's biggest economies to consider arguments that borrowing should be cheaper for developing countries, which pay two to four times more in interest on debts than more advanced economies.
Other themes of this weekend's summit include securing climate change financing, increasing the participation of African countries in multilateral forums and ensuring that they get the best value out of their critical minerals.
But so far, discourse surrounding the meeting has been dominated by Donald Trump's very public decision not to attend.
The US president said he would not go due to the widely discredited claim that South Africa's white minority is the victim of large-scale killings and land grabs. The relationship between the two countries has become increasingly fraught over the past year - the US expelled the South African ambassador to Washington, cut some of its aid funding and slapped South Africa with tariffs of 30% (the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa).
And finally, after initially saying he would send Vice-President JD Vance to the G20 summit, Trump abruptly announced two weeks ago that no US representatives would attend.
The government in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, has tried to maintain a defiant but diplomatic tone. It has firmly denied claims of a white genocide and insisted that the summit would proceed with or without the US.
In a sudden about-face, and with less than 48 hours to go before the G20 conference, the US announced that it would be sending a small team of its in-country diplomats to the handover ceremony but that it wouldn't take part in any discussions.
As tension between the two nations shows no sign of letting up, there are concerns that South African diplomats may be frozen out of meetings when the US takes over the G20 presidency next year.
Some leaders are also absent from the meeting. Apart from Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping is sending his Premier, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is also skipping the summit due to an International Criminal Court warrant against him.
Despite these challenges, South African Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, highlighted that South Africa’s representation at the summit remains significant, emphasizing that the country does not need permission to engage as a G20 member.
While Trump's absence has raised eyebrows, some analysts believe it may open up new opportunities for genuine dialogue. Professor Richard Calland suggests that the absence of a polarizing figure like Trump might foster more constructive discussions among the remaining members. As South Africa strives to engage with other nations on pressing global issues, it seeks to prove that diplomatic efforts can yield results even without the presence of the world's most powerful nation.
