G20 Opens in Johannesburg Without U.S., Draft Flags Critical‑Minerals Push

Overview

• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said no U.S. officials will attend the Nov. 22–23 summit in South Africa.
• Washington sent a letter opposing any leaders’ statement presented as consensus without U.S. agreement.
• A draft text obtained by Bloomberg emphasizes resilient critical‑minerals value chains, warns against unilateral trade restrictions, and proposes a voluntary guide for responsible extraction and beneficiation.
• Attendance is thinner at the top, with China represented by Premier Li Qiang and several leaders absent, prompting concern the meeting may not yield a single joint declaration.
• Leaders, including Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, arrived for sessions on sustainable growth, climate and energy transition, and a dedicated discussion on critical minerals, with Lula meeting South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.