Germany's Merz visits Johannesburg for G20 summit without Trump, Xi

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sets off on a three-day trip to southern Africa on Friday, with the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Johannesburg on the top of his agenda.

Merz is due to spend the weekend at the summit in South Africa despite the high-profile absence of leaders such as US President Donald Trump, China's Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He then travels on to Angola for the European Union-African Union summit in Luanda, rounding off his longest overseas trip since taking office in May.

Merz's attendance at the G20 summit is seen as an attempt to underline the significance of the format, which grew in importance in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and includes 19 countries, the EU and the African Union.

But this year's summit of the world's leading industrialized and emerging economies - the first to be held in Africa - has largely drawn attention for the figures opting to skip it, including the leaders of Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

Nevertheless, Merz's first G20 summit as chancellor offers opportunities for bilateral talks, including with some leaders he has yet to meet.

A conversation lined up with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva could prove awkward after Merz's controversial comments on Belém, the host city of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30).

Merz's tactless remarks were panned in the Brazilian media and drew a response from Lula, who compared Berlin unfavourably to the Amazonian city.

EU-African Union summit

The three-day trip also serves as a signal of Africa's importance for Germany, particularly in the economic sphere.

On Sunday evening, Merz is set to travel on to Luanda, where 40 leaders are due to attend the EU-African Union summit.

The meeting is expected to focus primarily on security and crisis management as well as economic cooperation.

Merz is due to be accompanied by his deputy Lars Klingbeil, the leader of the centre-left Social Democrats who also serves as finance minister.