British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg on Friday, announcing deals worth £400 million for trains, planes and submarines. The visit to the G20 summit comes days before next week's Budget is expected to raise taxes and as Starmer seeks to shore up support for Ukraine amid US-Russia peace negotiations.
Downing Street defended the timing of the trip, saying Starmer would use it to strengthen backing for Ukraine. Washington has been drafting a peace plan with Moscow that would reportedly require Kyiv to give up territory and weapons. Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz are set to speak to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky about the US-Russia developments later on Friday.
The November 22-23 summit has been overshadowed by the absence of US president Donald Trump, who boycotted the gathering over widely rejected claims that white people are being persecuted in South Africa. Russia's Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping are also skipping the multilateral forum.
Defence of G20 attendance
Asked about Trump's absence, Starmer told reporters travelling with him: "I think it's really important to be there and to talk to other partners and allies so we can get on with the discussions around global issues that have to be addressed and do have an impact back at home, but also to take the opportunity face to face to further the deals that I want to do for our country."
The Prime Minister emphasized economic benefits, saying: "In the last three years the jobs that have been generated in the UK from countries in the G20 is 200,000 and that focus in the Budget will be very much the economy and the cost of living."
Business deals announced
Starmer will visit a train depot with Derby-built trains on Friday to announce a deal under which government-owned Crossrail International will advise on driving investment in South Africa's railways. The UK has also launched a new partnership with Vietnam to support a digital overhaul of its railway system.
Other deals include a new UK-South Africa mutual recognition arrangement estimated to boost exports by up to £700 million over five years. British Steel has secured a further £35 million contract to supply products for Turkey's high-speed network. UK firm Rolls-Royce will supply new jet engines for 10 Air Algerie aircraft as part of a £370 million package of air deals with Algeria. UK defence firm Babcock has won an initial contract to assess the readiness of and help maintain South African navy submarines.
China relations
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to take Xi's place at the summit, but Starmer declined to say whether they will meet. He insisted he would "robustly" protect the UK's national interests in response to speculation he will visit China early next year. Starmer defended his approach to dealing with Beijing: "co-operate where we can and challenge where we must, particularly on national security."
The Prime Minister is expected to meet a series of Indo-Pacific and African leaders during the G20 gathering, the first to be held on African soil. South Africa currently holds the rotating G20 presidency, with the US due to take over at the end of the year.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
