The South African president says France withdrew the country's invitation to attend the Group of Seven (G-7) leaders' summit in June following pressure from the United States.
The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK) and the US.
Its leaders are scheduled to meet in Evian-les-Bains in southeastern France from June 15 to 17.
“The French government withdrew the invitation due to continued pressure from the US,” South African presidential spokesman Vincent Mgwenya said, Bloomberg reported.
“This is the communication we have received from the French government.”
Earlier, an official in French President Emmanuel Macron's office said South Africa was not invited to the G-7 because Kenya – where Macron plans to visit in April – was attending in its place.
Other invited countries include India, South Korea and Brazil, the official said.
On Tuesday, Kenya's principal secretary for foreign affairs said the East African nation, along with African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Mahmoud Yusuf, had been invited to “articulate Africa's perspective”.
The development comes after months of rising tensions between South Africa and the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Trump accused South Africa of allowing “white genocide” during a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office last year. The South African President rejected the claim.
Last November, Trump boycotted the G20 summit in Johannesburg, where Macron had invited Ramaphosa to attend the G7.
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