President Cyril Ramaphosa is going to America, where the state of the country’s relationship with the US will be discussed.

Ramaphosa is expected to land in the country on 19 May, and stay for his working visit until 22 May. He will meet with US President Donald Trump on 21 May, at the White House in Washington D.C.

This follows the arrival of Afrikaner families in the state of Washington earlier this week.

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The Presidency says bilateral, regional and global issues of interest will be unpacked in this engagement.

“The President’s visit to the US provides a platform to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries,” said Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.

The upcoming meeting is expected to be tense, as relations between South Africa and the United States have soured significantly in recent months. This is after the Trump administration cut US aid to South Africa, imposed high import tariffs, and expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool.

President Trump has openly criticised South Africa’s foreign policy, especially after its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Most recently, Trump and his administration have been vocal about concerns on he describes as a “genocide” against white Afrikaners, albeit unsubstantiated. This matter has fuelled tensions.

On Monday, Trump said he may not attend the G20 summit set to take place in Johannesburg this November unless that situation is resolved.

The US has pulled out of G20-related events in South Africa since the start of the year, with US Secretary of State Mark Rubio boycotting the first G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in February.

The Washington Post has reported that the White House has now instructed all US agencies to stop preparing for the G20 summit.

This article has been updated with additional information.