A diplomatic disagreement has emerged ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in France, after claims that Washington urged Paris to exclude Cyril Ramaphosa from the gathering.
The South Africa presidency alleged that the United States pushed for Ramaphosa’s disinvitation. However, Jean-Noël Barrot rejected the claim, stating that France acted independently in shaping the guest list for the summit in Evian.
According to French officials, Kenya—not South Africa—was selected to attend the high-level meeting of industrialized nations. Barrot emphasized that the decision aligns with France’s intention to host a more focused G7 centered on geo-economic priorities.
While declining to confirm whether South Africa had initially been invited, Barrot insisted that Paris “did not give in to any pressure,” underscoring France’s diplomatic autonomy.
Despite the controversy, French authorities reaffirmed their strong ties with South Africa, describing it as a key partner on major global issues and maintaining that close communication between the two countries continues.
Source: AfricaNews
