The 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg concluded on Sunday with South Africa formally handing over the group’s rotating presidency to the United States—despite Washington’s absence from the high-level gathering.

President Cyril Ramaphosa officially closed the summit, telling delegates, “We shall see each other again next year,” as he confirmed the transfer of leadership to the US.

Ramaphosa said South Africa used its presidency to elevate the priorities of Africa and the Global South, continuing the developmental agenda advanced by Indonesia, India, and Brazil in previous years. Hosting the G20 for the first time on African soil, he described the moment as historic for both South Africa and the wider continent.

“Recognising the importance of this milestone, we have sought to place Africa’s growth and development interests at the heart of the G20’s agenda,” Ramaphosa said. He added that “the greatest opportunity for prosperity in the 21st century lies in Africa,” stressing that progress would depend on strong partnerships between African nations, the G20, and the global community.

The summit declaration, adopted on Saturday, included commitments to concrete action on global challenges, with leaders pledging to work toward a “just, comprehensive and lasting” peace in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Ukraine. The communiqué also condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations.”

The absence of the United States—South Africa’s successor as G20 president—cast a shadow over the proceedings. Traditionally, a formal handover ceremony requires the presence of the incoming chair’s head of state or a designated senior official.

South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, revealed that the US initially sought to conduct the handover through the chargé d’affaires of its embassy, but Pretoria insisted that the process be conducted at an equivalent diplomatic level. Lamola said the handover would instead take place at South Africa’s foreign ministry offices “anytime from Monday.”

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced that no American delegation would attend the summit, accusing South Africa of “human rights abuses” against white Afrikaners—allegations the South African government has strongly rejected as baseless.

The dispute adds to a period of strained relations between Washington and Pretoria over a series of foreign policy disagreements.

Despite the political tensions, South Africa hailed the summit as a significant success and a major step in strengthening Africa’s role in global governance.