France has rescinded South Africa’s invitation to the G7 summit scheduled for June, excluding Africa’s most industrialised country from the multilateral forum of the world’s seven largest advanced economies.
Pretoria was notified of the withdrawal weeks ago through the French embassy, said presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who confirmed the move to Business Day.
The decision follows pressure from the US to sideline Pretoria from multilateral institutions. Washington’s move is extending beyond its own bilateral actions and influencing the decisions of some of its G7 partners.
The G7 exclusion follows Washington’s efforts to bar South Africa from the G20, a particularly pointed move given that Pretoria only recently chaired the forum in 2025, using the presidency to champion African debt relief and development financing.
The US holds the G20 presidency in 2026 and has moved to shut South Africa out of a process it helped shape.
“The summit is in June, and we were informed a few [weeks] back via the embassy,” Magwenya said. “We’ve accepted the French decision and appreciate the pressure they’ve been subjected to.
“There’s no need to seek further clarification. South Africa will always endeavour to resolve disputes through constructive dialogue regardless of the posture that is adopted by the other party.”
The acknowledgement that France faced external pressure in rescinding the invitation raises questions about which G7 members may have objected to South Africa’s inclusion.
The US holds the G20 presidency in 2026, succeeding South Africa, which chaired the forum the previous year
South Africa’s non-aligned foreign policy, including its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, has strained relations between it and the US.
France, holding the G7 presidency, is hosting the summit in Évian-les-Bains. Brazil and India remain confirmed as guest nations. Other non-G7 members on the guest list include South Korea and Kenya.
South Africa is not a member of the G7 but has been invited previously as a partner member in recognition of its influence on the African continent.
Relations between Pretoria and Washington have deteriorated sharply under the Trump administration, with the US cutting aid to South Africa last year and disinviting Pretoria from the G20 forum in 2026.
The US holds the G20 presidency in 2026, succeeding South Africa, which chaired the forum the previous year.
Washington has also taken issue with South Africa’s domestic politics, with the new US ambassador, Leo Brent Bozell III, making remarks critical of the government, prompting a formal diplomatic protest from Pretoria after he expressed indifference to South African court rulings on the politically charged “Kill the Boer” chant.
“Our bilateral relationship with France remains strong and will not be affected by their withdrawal of the invitation to attend the G7 summit,” said Magwenya.
“We remain committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with the US to resolve whatever dispute they have with South Africa.”
The French embassy in Pretoria had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
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