US to host meeting of G20 officials without South Africa’s participation, sources say

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WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. will convene a meeting of officials from the Group of 20 major economies starting on Monday to kick off planning for next year, when it holds the group’s rotating presidency, sources familiar with the plans said.

South Africa, this year’s host country, was not invited to join the meeting of the G20 deputy sherpas, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. on Monday assumed the 12-month presidency of the G20 amid a bitter feud with South Africa and has said it will not invite Africa’s biggest economy to participate in next year’s G20 events. South Africa has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated allegations that South Africa’s Black-majority government persecutes its white minority.

No comment on next week’s meeting was immediately available from the White House or the U.S. Treasury.

The U.S. government has vowed to undertake “much-needed reforms” during its presidency and “return the G20 to focus on its core mission of driving economic growth and prosperity to produce results.”

Next year’s summit of G20 leaders will take place in Miami at a golf resort owned by Trump. Washington skipped this year’s gathering hosted by Pretoria and then accused South Africa of weaponizing its leadership of the group.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Paul Simao)