The Treasury secretary is the second top U.S. official not to attend the Group of 20 gatherings because of rising tension with South Africa over its land policies.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's absence follows a boycott of a G-20 foreign ministers meeting in South Africa by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent won’t travel to the Group of 20 finance ministers meeting in South Africa next week as he focuses on the domestic agenda in his first weeks in office, a person familiar with the matter said.