South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has downplayed reports that his invitation to the forthcoming G7 summit in France has been withdrawn, saying non-attendance by a country outside the bloc should surprise no one. Reports on Thursday claimed the US had put huge pressure on France to rescind Ramaphosa's invitation to the summit scheduled for June, with claims that U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to boycott the summit if the South African leader attended. The invitation to the G7 does not mean that you're being snubbed if you're not invited or you're being ignored, said Ramaphosa.
France denied yielding to U.S. pressure, stating it had decided to invite Kenya this time instead. The summit, presided over by France, will also include leaders from South Korea, India, and Brazil. France's decision is part of an effort to correct global economic imbalances, according to officials.
A South African official indicated that the country was excluded post-invitation, attributing the decision to sustained pressure from the U.S. The spokesperson noted that the withdrawal followed a personal invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to Ramaphosa during the G20 summit in Johannesburg last year. However, Ramaphosa later asserted that, based on his information, there had been no pressure from any country regarding the invitation.
He elaborated that many countries worldwide do not receive invitations to the G7 and that South Africa has not attended every summit in the past, suggesting that its absence from the upcoming event was not unexpected. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reinforced that France had chosen a streamlined G7, opting for Kenya, which will host the Africa-France summit in Nairobi in May.
U.S. officials clarified that they had not requested France to exclude South Africa from the G7 but noted that the move to invite Kenya followed consultations among G7 member states. Macron is slated to visit Kenya for the two-day Africa-France summit.
Relations between the U.S. and South Africa have shown signs of strain recently, especially since Trump's administration began. Disagreements have arisen over various issues, including trade and U.S. refugee policy, reflecting deeper diplomatic tensions. A White House official stated that the decision to invite Kenya was part of ongoing discussions amongst G7 members.
Despite challenges, Ramaphosa emphasized that the strong bilateral relationship with France would not be affected by the G7 invitation withdrawal, and discussions to reset relations with the U.S. remain ongoing.
France denied yielding to U.S. pressure, stating it had decided to invite Kenya this time instead. The summit, presided over by France, will also include leaders from South Korea, India, and Brazil. France's decision is part of an effort to correct global economic imbalances, according to officials.
A South African official indicated that the country was excluded post-invitation, attributing the decision to sustained pressure from the U.S. The spokesperson noted that the withdrawal followed a personal invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to Ramaphosa during the G20 summit in Johannesburg last year. However, Ramaphosa later asserted that, based on his information, there had been no pressure from any country regarding the invitation.
He elaborated that many countries worldwide do not receive invitations to the G7 and that South Africa has not attended every summit in the past, suggesting that its absence from the upcoming event was not unexpected. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reinforced that France had chosen a streamlined G7, opting for Kenya, which will host the Africa-France summit in Nairobi in May.
U.S. officials clarified that they had not requested France to exclude South Africa from the G7 but noted that the move to invite Kenya followed consultations among G7 member states. Macron is slated to visit Kenya for the two-day Africa-France summit.
Relations between the U.S. and South Africa have shown signs of strain recently, especially since Trump's administration began. Disagreements have arisen over various issues, including trade and U.S. refugee policy, reflecting deeper diplomatic tensions. A White House official stated that the decision to invite Kenya was part of ongoing discussions amongst G7 members.
Despite challenges, Ramaphosa emphasized that the strong bilateral relationship with France would not be affected by the G7 invitation withdrawal, and discussions to reset relations with the U.S. remain ongoing.
