Argentinian President the second leader to skip South Africa’s G20 – report

Argentinian President Javier Milei has reportedly decided not to attend the G20 leaders’ summit, set to be held in Johannesburg at the end of November.

This is according to a report by an Argentinian media outlet, Perfil, which claimed that sources within the Presidential Office informed it that Milei would be forgoing his second opportunity to engage with the forum.

The report comes just days after US leader Donald Trump announced that no US representative would be attending the summit, effectively boycotting the event.

Perfil says that intelligence suggests that Federico Pinedo, who was supposed to be Milei’s advisor at the summit, and Pablo Quirno, the country’s Foreign Minister, will attend in Milei’s absence.

The media outlet added that it had been informed by a diplomatic source, who helped organise the G20 summit in Argentina in 2018, that Milei’s absence would “be a snub to all of Africa.”

“But we are also the least important country in the G20. If we simply follow any reform proposals coming from the United States, we could end up excluded altogether,” the source added.

South Africa is the first African country to host the summit, which will take place on 22 and 23 November under the theme: Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.

No official statement has been issued by the Argentinian government yet. However, several Argentinian media reports, including Perfil’s, point to Trump’s decision to boycott the summit.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the Group of 20 summit in South Africa later this month, because of what he said were “human rights abuses” taking place in the country.

“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue. I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida!” Trump said.

Vice President JD Vance, who was expected to attend the Group of 20 world leaders’ meeting in Johannesburg from 22-23 November, is no longer attending.

Trump has taken issue with South African domestic and foreign policies – ranging from its land policy to its case accusing Israel of genocide in the U.S. ally’s war in Gaza.

The president last month set the lowest cap on record for U.S. refugee admissions and said those people admitted would be mainly focused on white Afrikaners.

South Africa’s foreign ministry said it had taken note of Trump’s “regrettable” post on the platform, and reiterated Pretoria’s rejection of the accusation that Afrikaners are subjected to oppression.

“The South African Government wishes to state, for the record, that the characterisation of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

“Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution, is not substantiated by fact. South Africa’s focus remains on its positive global contributions.”

“Drawing on our own journey from racial and ethnic division to democracy, our nation is uniquely positioned to champion within the G20 a future of genuine solidarity, where shared prosperity bridges deep inequalities.”

“We look forward to hosting a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit,” added the ministry.

The United States is set to take over the G20 presidency from South Africa.