President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Washington DC for a working visit aimed at recalibrating diplomatic and economic ties between South Africa and the United States.
Ramaphosa touches down in the US: Here’s what’s at play
The visit, which began on Monday, 19 May 2025, sets the stage for a crucial bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump scheduled for Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at the White House.
According to a government statement, the primary goal of the visit is to “reset and revitalise” relations between the two nations, with a specific emphasis on economic and commercial cooperation.
South Africa is seeking to “reframe” its relationship with the US, potentially opening new pathways for trade, investment, and political engagement.
President Ramaphosa is not travelling alone. He is joined by key cabinet members including Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen.
Also part of the delegation is Special Envoy to the United States, Mcebisi Jonas.
Minister Steenhuisen has already addressed the media ahead of the talks. In remarks to the Associated Press, he said:
“I really hope that during the upcoming visit to Washington, President Cyril Ramaphosa is going to be able to put the facts before his counterpart and to demonstrate that there is no mass expropriation of land taking place in South Africa, and there is no genocide taking place.”
This statement comes as the minority white Afrikaner community finds itself in the international spotlight.
The US recently granted refugee status to at least 49 Afrikaners claiming to flee racial and violent persecution and land seizures. These claims have been widely discredited, but have nonetheless influenced political discourse.
President Trump, in comments made on Monday, announced that the United States would grant citizenship to these Afrikaners. The administration plans to manage their resettlement through the Department of Health and Human Services, which will oversee support including temporary or longer-term housing and the provision of basic household necessities.
With political sensitivities high and diplomatic narratives being shaped in real time, Wednesday’s meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump is likely to be a pivotal moment in South Africa-US relations.