Cape Town – South Africa is set to formally hand over the G20 presidency to the United States in a deliberately low-profile manner.
According to Zane Dangor, South Africa’s G20 Sherpa and Dirco Director-General, both governments agreed to avoid a high-profile event, with the handover taking place between a senior South African official and the US chargé d’affaires.
“The agreement is that we should do it low-key. It’s not just a South African issue; the US also doesn’t want a very big handover event. So we will hand over at the level of a senior official from Dirco to the US chargé d’affaires.
“That will most likely take place tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said during an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
[WATCH] International Relations DG Zane Dangor says the handing over of the G20 presidency to the USA will be done by a senior DIRCO official, possibly tomorrow. #G20SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/NOv4nIaBz0
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 24, 2025
The quiet handover follows diplomatic tensions over the appropriate US representation at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg.
South Africa insisted that the presidency gavel could not be handed to a junior US official, such as the chargé d’affaires, but that Washington could send a senior envoy, minister, or head of state.
Ramaphosa’s office described the US’s initial plan to send a low-ranking official as a “breach of protocol”.
The exchange will occur within South Africa, likely at Dirco offices, rather than at the summit itself.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
