The Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramakgopa, says the United States (US) has not formed part of the three day second G20 Development Working Group 2025 meeting held in South Africa.

She revealed this during the first day of the meeting taking place at Somerset West near Cape Town.

Ramakgopa says the US did show interest in participating in the event on condition it would be afforded a virtual platform instead of physical attendance.

However, she says South Africa was unable to afford the US such an opportunity.

Ramakgopa says, “We did, of course, have a request from the USA, however, they wanted to participate virtually, but we couldn’t be able to offer them that even if it was not at the level of the senior officials, however, they did show interest indeed that for this working group, they wanted to be part of it.”

She says, “We do believe that somewhere somehow through negotiations using diplomatic channels, we will be able to reach conclusions that South African cooperation with the USA to even go bigger. So we will never give up on that.”

Ramakgopa also called on the G20 working group not to allow differences to divide them.

She says the delegates should not be tempted to make decisions based on the current geopolitical situation in the world.

Ramakgopa says, “As countries, we are in the process of working on the draft outcomes document and we should be able to strike for common ground and uphold the principle of broad consensus as I have already said. As you continue to work at a technical and senior official level in preparation of the ministerial meeting of the development working group later in July at the Kruger National Park, I expect you to be guided by the principles that I have outlined.”

H.E. Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency for Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation, is delivering the Opening Address at the 2nd G20 Development Working Group Meeting
https://t.co/q8sNg2lSV4

— DPME (@DpmeOfficial) April 14, 2025