Ramaphosa Visits Washington Amid Tensions in Bilateral Relations

President Cyril Ramaphosa was scheduled to arrive in the United States on Monday morning for a working visit, which will culminate in a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Ramaphosa departed South Africa late Sunday evening.

The visit follows several months of strained relations between the two countries. In February, President Trump accused South Africa of confiscating land from White farmers under its land expropriation policy. Despite making up only about 7 percent of the population, White South Africans own more than 70 percent of the country’s land.

Trump also alleged, without providing evidence, that a genocide targeting White Afrikaner speakers was occurring in South Africa. Following these claims, the U.S. imposed sanctions on South Africa, reducing millions of dollars in aid.

South African officials have strongly denied these allegations.

Key topics expected to be discussed during Wednesday’s meeting include trade and tariffs, the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the G20 agenda. South Africa currently holds the rotating presidency of the G20, though the U.S. has opted to effectively boycott the event.

Another point of contention is South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which has drawn criticism from Trump. Pretoria has traditionally supported the Palestinian cause and been critical of Israeli policies.