Rubio suggests Poland take SA’s spot during America’s G20 presidency

Poland is expected to take South Africa’s place during the US G20 presidency, according to US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who said Washington has removed South Africa from the table. It is not immediately clear if the US will push for Poland to be officially adopted as a G20 member or if it will attend as a guest. Though South Africa is a founding member of the G20, the US, under President Donald Trump, has said it is not a country worthy of a seat at the table with global superpowers.

Rubio said unlike South Africa, Poland has made strides in growing its economy. “We will invite friends, neighbours and partners to the American G20. We will welcome the world’s largest economies, as well as burgeoning partners and allies, to America’s table.

In particular, Poland, a nation that was once trapped behind the Iron Curtain but now ranks among the world’s 20 largest economies, will be joining us to assume its rightful place in the G20,” said Rubio. Rubio said South Africa entered the post-Cold War era with “strong institutions, excellent infrastructure and global goodwill” under the late president Nelson Mandela but claims all these gains have been eroded by his successors. “Mandela’s successors have replaced reconciliation with redistributionist policies that discouraged investment and drove South Africa’s most talented citizens abroad.

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Racial quotas have crippled the private sector, while corruption bankrupts the state,” said Rubio. “The numbers speak for themselves. As South Africa’s economy has stagnated under its burdensome regulatory regime driven by racial grievance, it falls firmly outside the group of the 20 largest industrialised economies.” Rubio repeated the false allegations of white genocide in South Africa to motivate why its invitation has been revoked.

He said former South African ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, had taken a hostile posture against the US. Rubio said South Africa also continued to cosy up with US adversaries, saying it will be barred from participating in the US G20, especially after President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed for the leaders summit to adopt a declaration despite the White House warning against it.

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