G7 invitation retracted: South Africa sidelined following US pressure

The Presidency has confirmed that France has retracted its invitation to South Africa to attend the Group of Seven (G7) political and economic forum due to be held in June.

This is purportedly due to pressure from the United States, which has allegedly threatened to boycott the gathering of the world’s most powerful nations if South Africa participates as a special guest.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Wednesday that South Africa respects the decision.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has attended the G7 meetings on several occasions as an invited guest of the host nation, most recently in Canada in 2025 and previously also in France in 2019.

South Africa’s invitation to attend the annual meeting in Evian was made known in June last year, as President Emmanuel Macron chose India, Ukraine, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea among his special invitees.

The presidency says it was informed a few weeks ago that the invitation was being rescinded after the United States allegedly objected to South Africa’s presence over its own diplomatic issues with South Africa.

ALSO READ: Mashatile: US stance 'problematic' for G20, but SA rules out boycott

The French Embassy is yet to confirm disinviting South Africa to the G7 for these reasons.

Meanwhile, the US new ambassador to South Africa, Leo Bozell, was recently demarched by the Department of International Relations over comments he made about South Africa’s judicial system during his first public engagements in the country.

As the host of the G20, the US has also blocked South Africa from attending this year’s meetings.

The US has put South Africa to terms on what Bozell has named the country’s “five asks” which include outlawing the struggle chant, “Kill the boer”, relaxing Black Economic Empowerment policies and ensuring fair compensation for expropriation.