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President Cyril Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been disinvited from attending the G7 Summit in France in June due to objections from US President Donald Trump.
The news was first reported by the French News Agency AFP and has since been confirmed by the Presidency to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) News.
The US had threatened to boycott the meeting if South Africa attended.
This follows the US boycott of South Africa’s G20 Presidency last year amid continued strained relations between Washington and Pretoria.
WATCH | President Cyril Ramaphosa has been disinvited from attending the G7 Summit in France due to objections from U.S. President Donald Trump. SABC News correspondent Sherwin Bryce-Pease reports pic.twitter.com/LPeln3aRhJ
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 26, 2026
Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told SABC News that the reason they were given for the invite withdrawal was due to sustained pressure from the United States, including a threat to boycott the event.
From Presidency Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya:
The reason we were given was that it was due to sustained pressure from the US, including a threat to boycott the G7 Summit. Therefore, they couldn’t risk missing a key member of the G7, hence the withdrawal of their invitation,…
— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) March 26, 2026
France, according to Magwenya, could not risk the absence of a key member from the G7 summit, hence the withdrawal of the invitation which President Emmanuel Macron personally extended to President Ramaphosa last year during the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
He said the process to reset the relationship with the US was ongoing and that South Africa remained committed to engaging in constructive dialogue to resolve whatever disputes they have with South Africa.
He also said the bilateral relationship with France remained strong.
WATCH | Dr Thelela Ngcetane-Vika of Wits University says the disinvitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa from the G7 Summit in France marks a critical moment for South Africa’s bilateral relations with the US and Europe. pic.twitter.com/AelhUSUPXD
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 26, 2026
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