South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to the United States in an effort to mend strained diplomatic relations.
The move follows the recent expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, a decision made by the U.S. administration last month. Ramaphosa expressed hope that Jonas’ appointment would help restore a more constructive dialogue between the two countries, whose ties have worsened significantly since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The U.S. government has been critical of South Africa’s domestic and foreign policies, accusing its leadership of marginalizing minority populations and pursuing stances viewed as unfriendly to American interests. In response, the U.S. issued an executive order earlier this year that reduced funding to South Africa.
Tensions escalated further over the weekend when the U.S. president stated on social media that the country may decline to participate in this year’s Group of 20 summit if it remains scheduled to take place in South Africa. As the current holder of the G20 presidency, South Africa is set to host global leaders and diplomats at the summit in Johannesburg this November.
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