South Africa’s Absence From G7 Summit not a Surprise - Ramaphosa
Last update: March 27, 2026
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President dismisses claims of US pressure over summit invite.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has played down reports that his invitation to the G7 summit in France was withdrawn, saying it is unsurprising for a non-member country not to attend.
Reports suggested the United States pressured France to rescind the invitation and that President Donald Trump threatened to boycott the June summit. Ramaphosa, however, said there had been no such pressure.
“Not being invited does not mean you are being snubbed,” he said, noting that South Africa does not attend every G7 meeting.
France also denied any US influence, saying it opted to invite Kenya alongside South Korea, India and Brazil as part of efforts to address global economic imbalances.
Earlier claims by a South African official linked the exclusion to US pressure, but both French and US officials rejected this.
Ramaphosa added that missing the summit “should come as no surprise,” as South Africa is not a member of the G7.
