The G20 foreign ministers' meeting is taking place in Johannesburg with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov among the attendees. However, the absence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is notable; instead, the US delegation is led by acting ambassador Dana Brown. China's Wang Yi is participating, alongside representatives from the EU, UN, and African Union.

The US decision to send a lower-level representative follows President Trump's decision to suspend aid to South Africa. This move was in response to South Africa's expropriation law, which the Trump administration argues discriminates against the white minority. Additionally, tensions have been heightened by South Africa's legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its relationships with Iran and China, both of which have been criticized by Trump.