South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to travel to the United States next week for a working visit, during which he will hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. The meeting is scheduled to take place on May 21 at the White House in Washington, D.C., according to a statement released by the South African Presidency late Wednesday.
The high-level engagement aims to address bilateral, regional, and global matters of mutual interest. The South African government views the visit as a key opportunity to recalibrate the strategic relationship between the two nations.
“This visit provides a platform to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries,” the statement from Ramaphosa’s office read.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated sharply since President Trump’s return to office in January. His administration has taken a hardline stance against South Africa’s land reform program and its legal action at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel, a close U.S. ally. In response, Trump cut all American financial aid to South Africa, further straining diplomatic ties.
Adding to tensions, the U.S. recently granted refugee status to 49 white South Africans, citing racial discrimination as the reason. The South African government has strongly rejected this narrative, maintaining that there is no substantiated evidence of racial persecution of white citizens. President Ramaphosa criticized the move, stating that the U.S. administration “has got the wrong end of the stick.”
Despite current diplomatic friction, the United States remains South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, following China. Observers note that the upcoming meeting could be pivotal in shaping the future trajectory of U.S.–South Africa relations.
