South Africa has been excluded from the G7 summit in France this June, initially prompting claims of US pressure on France. President Ramaphosa’s office reported France withdrew the invitation following what was described as a threat from the Americans to boycott the summit if South Africa attended.
A presidential spokesperson stated that South Africa was informed the US threatened a boycott. However, Pretoria later retracted this assertion, emphasizing continued diplomatic discussions.
The US State Department has denied requesting South Africa’s exclusion from the G-7 meeting. This follows a history of disagreements between US President Donald Trump and the South African government.
South Africa maintains ongoing engagement with both the US and France regarding the matter.