Argentinian President Javier Milei is reportedly skipping the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for next weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa, a move that could raise eyebrows among global peers and African leaders alike.
Milei joins former US President Donald Trump, who has confirmed that no United States government officials will attend the gathering, citing alleged human rights abuses against minority groups in host countries. Trump’s boycott has already sparked debate about Washington’s stance toward multilateral forums under his leadership.
For Milei, who took office in late 2023, the Johannesburg meeting would have marked his second engagement with the G20, the forum that unites the world’s 20 largest economies, both advanced and emerging. Argentina’s seat at the table, while sometimes questioned given its recurring economic instability, remains one of its most valuable diplomatic credentials.
According to Argentine newspaper Perfil, Milei has decided not to travel to South Africa. Instead, the country will be represented by Federico Pinedo, Argentina’s G20 “sherpa” who coordinates the country’s participation in the forum, and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno.
A diplomatic source involved in organising the 2018 G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, the only one ever hosted by Argentina, told Perfil that Milei’s decision could be interpreted as “a slight to the whole of Africa.”
“Moreover, we’re the least significant member of the G20. If we simply follow any reform proposals coming from the United States, we could end up excluded altogether,” the source cautioned.
Observers note that Milei’s absence appears to mirror Trump’s controversial withdrawal. Since assuming office, Milei has aligned himself closely with Washington, adopting a pro-market and anti-socialist foreign policy stance while distancing Argentina from traditional partners such as China and Brazil.
Perfil reports that Milei’s decision may be linked to recent financial arrangements with the US Treasury, which provided short-term support to stabilise Argentina’s currency ahead of the midterm elections. Analysts have suggested that the aid package, viewed as crucial in averting a balance-of-payments crisis, could have come with political strings attached, potentially influencing Buenos Aires’s diplomatic decisions.
The G20 Summit in Johannesburg is expected to focus on economic resilience, global inequality, energy transition, and reform of international financial institutions, topics central to many developing nations’ agendas. Milei’s absence, alongside Trump’s boycott, risks further isolating Argentina from emerging market allies at a time when Africa’s role in global trade and investment is rapidly expanding.
