South Africa will work to “iron out wrinkles” in its relationship with the US, and the absence of Washington’s top diplomat from Group of 20 meetings in Johannesburg isn’t “a boycott,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

“We will continue to find ways, avenues and means through which we can continue relating to each other,” Ramaphosa told reporters in Johannesburg Thursday. Pretoria has resolved to use diplomatic processes to deal with issues that “may have appeared in our relationship.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio snubbed this week’s G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa in protest at what he said was an attempt by Pretoria to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and tackle climate change.

The US sent the charge d’affaires, the current highest-ranking official in its South African embassy, in his place.

Rubio’s decision came after US President Donald Trump falsely accused the South African authorities of seizing private land.

He later halted most aid to the country over its expropriation laws and what he said were “aggressive positions towards the United States and its allies” — including accusing Israel of genocide in the International Court.

At the same time as Ramaphosa made his remarks it was reported that he had extended an invitation on 15 January to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a state visit.

The US is also in a spat with Zelenskiy. In a social media post Wednesday, Trump said Zelenskiy had “better move fast” to reach a peace deal with Russia, denouncing him as “a modestly successful comedian” and “a dictator.”

His comments are an all-but-final rejection of Ukraine as a full partner in talks that Trump has initiated with Russia to end the war that began with President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of his neighbour three years ago.

source:Ramaphosa responds to latest US snub – BusinessTech