Mark Carney Cosies Up to South Africa After Trump Fallout
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Canadian Prime Minister gave South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a warm welcome at the G7 summit in Calgary, less than a month after Ramaphosa's tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump.
"It is a great honor," Carney told Ramaphosa on Sunday. "I've been a long admirer of your leadership of South Africa."
Why It Matters
In May, Trump alleged that a genocide against white Afrikaaner people is taking place in South Africa and has accepted more than 60 into the United States as refugees.
During Ramaphosa's visit to the White House, Trump called for the lights to be dimmed and made the South African delegation and all the reporters in the Oval Office watch clips of Julius Malema, the head of the growing opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), chant "kill the Boer, kill the farmer." Newsweek has previously broken down the history the chant and South Africa's legal rulings on it.
President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, left, meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, as the G7 gets under way in Calgary, Canada, on June 15, 2025.
President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, left, meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, as the G7 gets under way in Calgary, Canada, on June 15, 2025.
AP
Ramaphosa has repeatedly made it clear that his priority is to smooth over relations with America in the hope of coming to an agreement on trade and getting Trump to attend the G20 summit, which will be hosted in South Africa in November.
Meanwhile, America and Canada are still reeling from their trade war, temporarily halted by a 90-day pause on tariff implementation.
What To Know
Carney shook Ramaphosa's hand, welcoming him to Canada.
"We've met a bit in the past," Carney said. "And I've been a long admirer of your leadership of South Africa and now your leadership of the G20."
"And the world is very much in your hands at a crucial time," Carney continued. "And if I may say, from a Canadian perspective, the strength of the ties between our countries are great, including down to the level of assistance in natural disasters."
Ramaphosa responded by praising "the continued wonderful bilateral relations between Canada and South Africa."
"We've had a long, long relationship and we're very proud of the way that we deal with each other," he continued.
Ramaphosa has said several times that he believes his meeting at the White House was a success.
"Many people were very critical of our going there, and some were even saying we were going cap in hand and what-have-you," he told reporters on June 10. "We were not."
He stressed that he was the one who asked to visit Trump because he wanted "serious engagement" with America on trade and the G20 summit.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posting on X in February said: "I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote 'solidarity, equality, & sustainability.' In other words: DEI and climate change. My job is to advance America's national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism."
I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote 'solidarity, equality, & sustainability.' In other words: DEI and climate change.
My job is to advance America's national interests, not… — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 5, 2025
When Trump was asked whether he would be going to the G20 summit at Ramaphosa's White House meeting, he answered: "It's important that the United States in involved, I think. Without the United States, I really believe it's not very important—it's not the same meeting."
What People Are Saying
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office said in a statement: "The Prime Minister and the President discussed the strong and growing partnership between Canada and South Africa, with increased co-operation in wildfire management, technology, and trade and investment.
"The leaders discussed advancing shared priorities under their G7 and G20 presidencies, such as energy security, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and climate resilience, including wildfires. They agreed to enhance economic co-operation between Canada and South Africa."
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told local reporters on June 10: "I'm hoping that when we meet the various other leaders of various countries who are part of the G7, we'll be able to interact meaningfully with them."
What Happens Next
Whether Canada and South Africa will develop a closer relationship in the midst of the tension with America is yet to be seen.
All eyes are on the G7, which Trump has expressed optimism about.
"I think we'll have a few new trade deals," Trump told reporters at the White House on Sunday as he departed for the summit.
The summit agenda encompasses a broad range of pressing issues, including fairness in global trade, critical minerals access, illegal migration, drug smuggling, and international security.
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