South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has downplayed reports that his invitation to the forthcoming G7 summit in France has been withdrawn, saying non-attendance by a country outside the bloc should surprise no one. Reports claimed the US pressured France to rescind Ramaphosa's invitation to the summit scheduled for June, with potential threats from President Donald Trump influencing the decision.
Ramaphosa clarified, The invitation to the G7 does not mean that you're being snubbed if you're not invited or you're being ignored. France has denied any yielding to US pressure and stated that it will invite Kenya and other non-member countries instead, as part of efforts to correct global economic disparities.
The decision to invite Kenya was also connected to France hosting an Africa-France summit in Nairobi, allowing for a more streamlined G7 participant list.
Ramaphosa reassured that South Africa should not expect an invitation to all G7 summits, reinforcing the idea that many nations worldwide face similar situations regarding non-invitation. While there may have been initial discussions about an invitation, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot emphasized that there was no external pressure influencing the invite list.
Despite the exclusion, relations between South Africa and France remain strong, with ongoing efforts to reset ties with the US amid diplomatic tensions.
Ramaphosa clarified, The invitation to the G7 does not mean that you're being snubbed if you're not invited or you're being ignored. France has denied any yielding to US pressure and stated that it will invite Kenya and other non-member countries instead, as part of efforts to correct global economic disparities.
The decision to invite Kenya was also connected to France hosting an Africa-France summit in Nairobi, allowing for a more streamlined G7 participant list.
Ramaphosa reassured that South Africa should not expect an invitation to all G7 summits, reinforcing the idea that many nations worldwide face similar situations regarding non-invitation. While there may have been initial discussions about an invitation, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot emphasized that there was no external pressure influencing the invite list.
Despite the exclusion, relations between South Africa and France remain strong, with ongoing efforts to reset ties with the US amid diplomatic tensions.
