Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Johannesburg for this year’s G20 summit, where leaders of the world’s largest economies are gathering to address global challenges. Notably absent is former US President Donald Trump, who chose to skip the event while repeating baseless allegations that white citizens in South Africa are being persecuted.
Starmer—who critics have nicknamed “never here Keir” due to his frequent diplomatic travel—has defended his international engagements, saying Britain benefits when its leader advocates for UK trade, investment, and global partnerships.
According to Downing Street, the South Africa visit will also focus on building alliances and securing continued support for Ukraine. Ahead of the summit, Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss a peace framework backed by the United States.
Zelensky later wrote on X that Ukraine appreciates the American-led efforts to secure what he called a “real and dignified peace,” while stressing that allied leaders are working together to uphold core principles in any negotiated settlement.
The discussions come amid leaked details of a proposed peace plan that appears to mirror several of Moscow’s demands—including Ukraine ceding parts of Donetsk, reducing its military size, and abandoning its bid to join NATO. Kyiv has previously rejected such conditions outright.
Before the summit begins, Starmer will tour a Johannesburg rail depot housing trains manufactured in Derby. He is also expected to announce a new partnership under which the UK will provide strategic guidance to South Africa’s rail sector. The work will be undertaken by Crossrail International, a UK government-owned consultancy, which has also secured a similar agreement with Vietnam.
Downing Street argues that Africa represents a major long-term opportunity for British industry, noting that half of the continent’s population is under 20 and that Africa will account for more than a quarter of the global population by 2050. Starmer said he aims to secure investment and business deals that translate directly into jobs and economic benefits for people back home.
Meanwhile, Trump’s decision to avoid the G20—calling it a “total disgrace” on social media—has sparked international attention. His repeated claims about the treatment of white Afrikaners have been widely discredited. Although his administration has granted white South Africans refugee priority, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed the controversy, saying the US absence was “their loss” and that “boycott politics doesn’t work.”
South African political parties, including those representing Afrikaner communities, have also rejected claims of any genocide occurring in the country.