Overview
- South Africa’s presidency said Thursday it learned France withdrew President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spot at June’s G7 in Evian after alleged US pressure, including a threatened American boycott.
- France’s foreign minister denied yielding to any pressure and said Kenya was invited to fit a tighter, geo‑economic format linked to an Africa-focused summit, while declining to confirm if South Africa ever received a formal invite.
- Ramaphosa struck a measured tone, saying South Africa is not a G7 member and that skipping this summit should not surprise anyone.
- Pretoria says Emmanuel Macron personally extended an invitation during the Johannesburg G20 in November 2025, making the reversal a pointed signal in its view.
- The dispute sits within strained US–South Africa ties that feature US accusations over treatment of Afrikaners, criticism of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the World Court, steep tariffs later overturned by a court, and recent rows involving ambassadors.