South African president to meet Trump amid claims of genocide against white farmers

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will take a trip to the United States next week to meet with President Donald Trump after allegations that “genocide” is being committed against white farmers in the majority Black country.

South Africa has denied the allegations and set a meeting for next Wednesday.

“There is no persecution of white Afrikaner South Africans,” the country’s Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola, said. He emphasized that Afrikaners are among the wealthiest and most successful individuals in South Africa, describing them as “the most economically privileged.”

The White House has not commented on the meeting. If it occurs, it would be Trump’s first with the leader of a nation in Africa since he began his second term in January.

Ramaphosa has spoken of his desire to engage with Trump diplomatically and improve the relationship between the two countries. He has said that Trump’s criticism is based on false information he’s been given.

On Monday, the U.S. welcomed 59 white South Africans as refugees as part of what Trump called a larger relocation plan for minority Afrikaner farmers who are being persecuted because of their race.

Ramaphosa’s office said he will meet with Trump at the White House and the visit would aim to “reset the strategic relationship between the two countries.”

“In line with international law, President Ramaphosa has reiterated that the individuals involved do not meet the criteria for refugee status, as they have not been subject to persecution on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or political belief,” a news release read.

The South African government said the U.S. remains one of the country’s most important economic partners, second only to China.

The decision of the Trump administration to expedite the relocation of Afrikaner refugees has raised questions, especially given the restrictions on other groups seeking entry into the U.S.

Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to admit around 12,000 refugees who were supposed to enter the United States through the Refugee Admission Program before the president shuttered the program.

U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead called the government’s interpretation of the program “interpretive jiggery-pokery” after the administration said it should only have to process the 160 refugees identified as having had travel scheduled within two weeks of Jan. 20 — the same day Trump called for refugee admissions to stop.

Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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