DIRCO: G20 presidency handover from SA to US happened between diplomats of similar ranking

Despite earlier tensions, South Africa has officially handed over the G20 presidency to the same lower-ranking United States (US) official it refused to accommodate on Sunday.

The two countries were at loggerheads this past weekend over the official handover, with South Africa refusing to give over reins to what they described as a junior diplomat.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said the handover happened on Tuesday in Pretoria between diplomats of similar ranking.

The White House initially announced it would be boycotting the G20 summit in South Africa, saying it would not be sending any of its representatives.

However, during the event, it changed its tune and sent a junior delegation led by its chargé d'affaires to receive the G20 presidency.

A chargé d'affaires is a representative who heads a country’s embassy mission in the absence of an ambassador.

At the time, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya posted on social media that President Cyril Ramaphosa would not hand over to a chargé d'ffaires.

"This is a breach of protocol. What they were suggesting, we cannot have a head of state handing over the presidency of such an important and premier forum for macro-economic and other related issues. It’s a breach of protocol, it has never happened before, and it was never going to happen here for the first time in South Africa."

DIRCO said the G20 presidency was exchanged between the two countries’ diplomats successfully.

"The president (Cyril Ramaphosa) has not handed over to a charge at the summit. We said we will hand over to them at office at the level of officials, not the president handing over to a charge," said Department of InternationalRelations and Cooperation spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri.

Washington is currently without an ambassador to South Africa, with nominee Mike Bozell still awaiting senate confirmation.