France has withdrawn its invitation to President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend this year’s Group of Seven leaders (G7) summit due to pressure from the US, according to the South African presidency.
Bloomberg reports that Pretoria attributed the move to pressure from the US.
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The South African President had been invited by his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to attend the G7 summit in Evian, scheduled for June.
Given that South Africa is not a member of the G7, France invited it to attend as an observer.
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The invitation was issued during last year’s G20 summit in Johannesburg, which was held amidst US President Donald Trump’s antagonism in the country.
However, South Africa claimed France rescinded the invitation this month after “sustained pressure” from Washington, including a threat to boycott the summit.
“The invitation was withdrawn by the French government due to sustained pressure from the US. That’s the communication we received from the French government,” South African presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya said by phone on Thursday, according to Bloomberg.
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The paper also quoted an official in Mr Macron’s office who denied this claim, stating that South Africa wasn’t invited to the G-7 because Kenya is attending in its stead.
The official also identified India, South Korea and Brazil as the other countries invited to the summit.
Financial Times also reported that a US official disclosed that France wanted an African country at the summit, and after the G7 discussed it, they all agreed on Kenya.
The official also claimed the US is only publicly backing that decision.
“The French, in their capacity as 2026 G7 host, expressed a desire in January to invite an African nation to the June G7 Leaders’ Summit in Evian.”
“After discussion among G7 members, it was collectively determined that Kenya should be invited to the summit. The United States welcomes Kenya’s participation,” the official was quoted as saying.
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South Africa’s relations with Washington have been tense since the beginning of Mr Trump’s second term.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that in early 2025, Mr Trump made false accusations of “white genocide” against the country
He alleged that numerous white South African farmers have been brutally murdered over land ownership.
The claims, which have been widely dismissed by the South African government and independent observers, were further amplified by a US policy offering refugee status to some white South Africans.
Pretoria has consistently rejected the allegation, insisting that while violent crime remains a national concern, it is not racially targeted.
US antagonism towards South Africa is believed to be because the latter supports Palestine and because of its suit at the International Court of Justice against Israel over its genocide in Gaza.
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