JOHANNESBURG
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Wednesday that her country is committed to strengthening engagement with its African partners, including through the G7.
“South Africa is the G20’s first African President, while Canada holds the G7 Presidency,’’ she said on X after speaking by phone with South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.
South Africa, which officially assumed the one-year rotational G20 presidency last December, becoming the first African country to lead the group of powerful nations, will host a meeting of foreign ministers of the G20 group of countries from Feb. 20-21 in Johannesburg.
Lamola thanked Joly for the call, saying he looks forward to further engagements and welcomes her to Johannesburg for the G20 foreign ministers meeting.
“Canada and South Africa share a common commitment to human rights and solidarity,’’ he said in a post on X.
This week, European Council President Antonio Costa expressed the European Union’s full support for South Africa’s leadership of the G20 during a phone call with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“I highlighted the EU’s commitment to deepen ties with South Africa, as a reliable and predictable partner,’’ Costa said in remarks posted on X.
He said he looks forward to the South Africa -EU bilateral summit on March 13.
“I expressed the EU’s full support to South Africa’s leadership of the G20 and its ambition to strengthen multilateral cooperation and the Pact for the Future to address the most pressing global issues,’’ he added.
In a separate statement, Ramaphosa welcomed the engagement with Costa, saying South Africa and the EU share the same values of democracy, human rights, dignity and equality.
He also said he is looking forward to the South Africa-EU Summit to consolidate their strong bilateral partnership and discuss regional developments as well as continental and global issues.
“I also look forward to working together with the leadership of the EU in ensuring a successful G20 in line with our chosen theme and in tackling the most pressing global challenges,’’ he added.
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will not attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing concerns over South Africa’s policies.
Rubio’s statement came days after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut foreign aid to South Africa over allegations of land confiscation and the mistreatment of “certain classes of people.”
Days later, Trump signed an executive order freezing funds to Pretoria over its land expropriation law and the country’s role in the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa.
