WASHIGNTON, July 2. /TASS/. The US decision not to invite South Africa to the Group of Twenty (G20) events during Washington’s presidency this year is illegitimate, Denis Agafonov, head of the expert department of the Russian president’s administration and the Russian G20 sherpa, said in response to a TASS reporter’s question.
He noted that Moscow expects Washington to reconsider this decision. "First of all, the G20 is an established structure, with its membership being determined by consensus. If you recall, in 2023, we accepted the African Union, it was a consensus decision, supported by everyone, including, naturally, Russia. Therefore, of course, we cannot support or accept in any way the US decision not to invite representatives from South Africa. We are saying that directly to our counterparts. We believe that it is an illegitimate decision not to invite South Africa to these events," Agafonov told reporters following the G20 sherpa meeting in Washington on June 29-30.
"Therefore, we expect that sooner or later this decision will be revisited and South Africa, a country friendly to us and a BRICS member state, will return and continue, as it should, to work within the G20 framework mechanisms," the Russian sherpa said.
