South Africa's Foreign Minister Says the US Has a Lot to Learn About Global Leadership, Diplomacy, and Democracy
Foreign Desk
– December 8, 2025
3 min read
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ronald Lamola, delivered an uncompromising response to the United States (US) government’s recent comments on South Africa’s foreign policy and economic trajectory.
In a note, drafted in response to an open letter from the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, (on which this newspaper reported at length last week) Lamola said that South Africa was an example of what true leadership in international relations entails.
Rubio’s letter had been critical of South Africa’s leadership of the 2025 G20 and argued that the country has lost its way and abandoned the pragmatic economic and foreign policies of the Mandela era. Rubio also repeated President Trump’s earlier statements that the US would not welcome South Africa to the 2026 G20 summit in Florida.
Taking an assertive tone, Lamola emphasised that South Africa’s position in the G20 was earned through principled diplomacy, where multilateralism and global solidarity were prioritised over unilateral power plays. He highlighted South Africa’s G20 presidency, stating that it was grounded in a deep belief in the necessity of Africa and the Global South being treated as equals on the world stage. Lamola noted: "South Africa’s presidency was built on a simple, powerful belief: that treating Africa and the Global South as equal partners and honestly addressing the systemic macroeconomic issues that impede their growth, is not an act of charity, but a strategic imperative for a stable, prosperous world."
"The people of South Africa created a hospitable environment in the true spirit of Ubuntu, which led to the South African G20 being a people’s G20, and many delegations attested to this in their public comments," Lamola added, quoting positive remarks from international delegates such as a German delegate who said: “I’ve attended summits on six continents. I’ve never experienced warmth like this.” A Japanese delegate remarked: “Your security guards smile while being vigilant. Your drivers share stories while navigating. Everyone, from the protocol officers to the coffee vendors, treats us like welcomed family, not foreign dignitaries.” Lamola also shared a French delegate’s sentiment: “We came to discuss economic frameworks. But what we’ll remember is how your people made us feel. That’s not soft power, that’s real power.”
Lamola called out the US for its absence during South Africa's G20 leadership, which he argued undermined the forum’s potential for genuine dialogue. He said that while South Africa did not seek to force agreement among attendees, it remained committed to fostering an environment where every voice could be heard. “True leadership doesn’t mean everyone leaves getting everything they want; it means everyone leaves feeling they have been truly heard,” Lamola stated.
On domestic matters, Lamola defended South Africa’s policies of redress, which are aimed at addressing the inequalities left by apartheid. He reminded international observers that South Africa’s Constitution enshrines the promise to heal the wounds of the past, particularly through land reform and economic empowerment. Lamola added: “Our policies of redress are not a political invention. They are the fulfilment of a promise made to all South Africans as we emerged from the darkness of apartheid. That promise is enshrined in our Constitution.” He further reminded critics of the international context within which South Africa operates, drawing attention to the profound challenges posed by colonial legacies and apartheid's enduring economic impact.
In a sharp counter to US concerns regarding property expropriation, Lamola reaffirmed South Africa’s right to design policies that best serve the needs of its people. Lamola concluded: "We understand, in our bones, that the world is an interconnected whole. The poverty, instability, or environmental distress in one corner of it does not remain there; it becomes a burden, or a crisis, for all.”
