By Emmanuel Nduka
France has dismissed claims that it bowed to pressure from the United States to withdraw an invitation extended to Cyril Ramaphosa for the upcoming G7 summit, insisting no such move took place.
Earlier reports from South African Presidency suggested that Washington had urged Paris to disinvite Ramaphosa from the June gathering scheduled to hold in Évian-les-Bains. However, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, rejected the allegation.
“We did not give in to any pressure,” Barrot said while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France.
He explained that France had instead chosen to invite Kenya to the summit, noting that the decision aligns with efforts to keep the gathering streamlined and focused on geo-economic priorities.
Barrot did not directly confirm whether South Africa had ever received an invitation in the first place.
Despite the controversy, the French minister emphasised that relations between France and South Africa remain strong, describing Pretoria as a key partner on major global issues.
“We have always counted on South Africa and we respect the important role it plays in international affairs,” he said, adding that both countries remain in close contact.
