South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been excluded from the G7 summit scheduled for June 15-17, 2026 in Évian-les-Bains, France, due to pressure exerted by the United States, according to the South African presidency.
According to his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, this decision follows "sustained" pressure from Washington. "We learned that France had to withdraw its invitation to South Africa to participate in the G7 meeting ," he said, adding that the United States had threatened to boycott the summit if Pretoria participated.
Tensions between Donald Trump and the South African government have intensified in recent months, focusing on trade and racial issues. The US president has notably imposed high tariffs on South African exports and criticized the country's policies, designed to address the inequalities inherited from apartheid, which he considers discriminatory against white people.
The disagreements also extended to the international stage, particularly after Pretoria's decision to take Israel, a US ally, to the International Court of Justice for accusations of genocide in the Gaza war.
However, during the G20 summit in Johannesburg, French President Emmanuel Macron had personally invited Cyril Ramaphosa to participate in the G7, the South African presidential spokesperson noted. Despite this incident, Pretoria sought to reassure the public about its relations with Paris, stating that this situation would not affect the strength of bilateral ties between the two countries.
Finally, the South African presidency emphasized its commitment to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the United States, noting that relations between the two nations extend beyond the current administration and should continue beyond the current term. The G7 comprises seven of the world's most industrialized nations. The group's work is regularly expanded to include invited countries, such as Brazil, India, South Korea, and Kenya this year.
