South Africa Excluded from G7 Summit by France Following US Pressure

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer attend the upcoming G7 summit in Evian, following actions taken by the United States, the South African government has reported.

Vincent Magwenya, a spokesperson for the presidency, indicated that France rescinded the invitation due to what he characterized as ongoing pressure from the Trump administration.

"We’ve been informed that due to continuous pressure, France was compelled to retract its invitation for South Africa’s attendance at the G7 meeting," Magwenya stated. "We have learned that American officials warned of a G7 boycott if South Africa was invited," he added.

Recent months have seen heightened tensions between Washington and Pretoria, with Trump openly criticizing South African policies concerning trade and race, including unfounded claims regarding a 'white genocide,' which many experts have dismissed. Additionally, the US previously imposed tariffs as much as 30 percent on South African goods, a move which was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court.

Relations have also been strained by South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice regarding the Gaza conflict, along with broader geopolitical disagreements.

Despite this turn of events, Magwenya minimized the diplomatic repercussions, asserting, "This will not affect the strength and intimacy of our bilateral relations with France."

"Despite these developments, South Africa is committed to maintaining constructive engagement with the United States. The diplomatic ties between the USA and South Africa predate the Trump administration and will continue beyond the current term in office," he concluded.