UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Johannesburg on Friday for the start of the G20 summit, a global meeting of major economies that will proceed without the United States after President Donald Trump chose not to attend.
Starmer’s visit is part of a broader effort to position the UK as an active player in trade and investment across Africa. The prime minister plans to highlight opportunities for British firms at a time when Downing Street views the continent as a key source of future economic growth.
Ahead of the summit, Starmer toured a Johannesburg rail depot where trains built in Derby are currently in use. He confirmed a new agreement that will see the UK offer strategic advice and consultancy services to South Africa’s rail sector. The work will be delivered by Crossrail International, a government owned organisation that also recently signed a similar partnership with Vietnam.
Speaking to reporters on the flight to South Africa, Starmer said the goal of his trip was to support commercial links that could create jobs at home. He noted that investment from G20 partners played a direct role in improving household incomes and addressing the cost of living.
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Downing Street pointed to demographic data that shows half of Africa’s population is under the age of twenty and that the continent is projected to account for more than a quarter of the world’s population by the middle of the century. Officials argue that these trends make Africa a strong prospect for future UK business expansion.
Trump’s absence adds a political edge to the summit. He dismissed the event as a total disgrace in a social media post and repeated his claim that white Afrikaners face persecution in South Africa. His administration has offered refugee status to white South Africans and granted them priority within the United States system.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the decision by Washington not to attend was the United States’ loss. He added that boycott politics did not work in international diplomacy. Political parties representing Afrikaners and the wider white community have said there is no evidence of genocide in the country.
The G20 gathering is expected to focus on global economic risks, infrastructure partnerships and cooperation between advanced and emerging economies. Starmer is due to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines, with further announcements anticipated during the summit.
