South Africa has been left off the guest list for the upcoming G7 summit in France, despite initially being invited, sparking confusion and mixed messaging from both Pretoria and global powers.
The presidency confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa would no longer attend the June gathering, with early indications suggesting the decision followed warnings that the United States might boycott the summit if South Africa was included.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya initially pointed to this alleged pressure, saying Pretoria had been informed that Washington was prepared to withdraw its participation over South Africa’s presence.
However, Ramaphosa later contradicted that version, stating that the information available to him showed no evidence that any country, including the United States, had influenced the decision.
France also moved quickly to dismiss the claims, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisting that Paris had not bowed to outside pressure, instead choosing to limit the number of invited nations and extend an invitation to Kenya as part of preparations for an upcoming Africa-focused summit in Nairobi.
A US State Department official backed that stance, saying Washington had not requested South Africa’s exclusion from the high-level meeting.
The development comes against the backdrop of increasingly strained ties between Pretoria and Washington, with tensions rising over several political and economic disputes in recent months.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa, targeting its domestic policies and making controversial claims about the treatment of white Afrikaners, while also imposing steep tariffs on South African exports, a move that was later overturned by the US Supreme Court.
The fallout has extended beyond trade, with disagreements over South Africa’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice further deepening the divide between the two nations.
Relations took another hit when Trump opted to skip the G20 summit held in Johannesburg last year, after which South Africa has also found itself sidelined from certain G20 activities during the current US presidency of the group.
Ironically, it was during that same G20 gathering that French President Emmanuel Macron personally invited Ramaphosa to the G7, making the latest reversal all the more notable.
Despite the diplomatic turbulence, South Africa has downplayed the long-term impact, stressing that its relationship with France remains strong and that engagement with the United States will continue.
Officials in Pretoria have emphasised that ties between the two countries stretch far beyond the current political climate and are expected to endure beyond any single administration.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to stabilise relations, with the government moving closer to appointing a new ambassador to Washington following a recent дипломатический spat involving the newly arrived US envoy over comments on South Africa’s policies and historical issues.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: Jeffrey Abrahams / Gallo Images
