Despite US opposition, Paris is making diplomatic moves to bring South Africa back into the G20 meetings.
South Africa is a full member
Written by Omnia Hassan
In a move reflecting the escalating European diplomatic activity within international forums, France called for South Africa to be reinstated to the G20 meeting table, following a previous US decision to exclude it from participation, which sparked widespread controversy within international political circles.
Controversial exclusion and escalating diplomatic row
The French invitation came in the wake of a decision by US President Donald Trump last November to exclude Pretoria from the group's meetings, amid growing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
This decision prevented the South African delegation from participating in the initial meetings that had already taken place, which several countries considered a unilateral step that violated the norms followed within the group.
A clear French position: “South Africa is a full member.”
During a press conference held in Johannesburg, the French ambassador to South Africa, David Martinon, stressed that his country insists on Pretoria’s immediate return to the group’s meetings, asserting that its exclusion was arbitrary and not based on any institutional grounds within the G20.
He explained that Paris raises this issue repeatedly with diplomatic delegates, based on a firm conviction that South Africa is a founding and permanent member of the group, and no country has the right to make a unilateral decision to exclude it.
European and Latin American support for Pretoria's position
The French position was not unique, as Germany quickly announced its intention to work to persuade Washington to reverse the decision, while Brazil later joined the countries supporting South Africa’s right to full participation.
This international alignment has revived the debate about decision-making mechanisms within the G20, and the limits of unilateral influence in a forum that is supposed to be based on collective consensus.
Johannesburg Summit and the US boycott
The roots of the crisis go back to last year, when Trump boycotted the G20 summit hosted by Johannesburg, an early indication of strained relations between the two countries, before the matter later developed into a formal exclusion decision.
The G7 summit and a new African alternative
In a related context, the French ambassador touched on the upcoming G7 summit in France, explaining that the invitation was extended to Kenya instead of South Africa, despite Pretoria previously being included in the list of invitees.
He noted that Kenya's selection comes within the framework of a French approach to consider the "Africa Forward" initiative as a key focus of Paris's presidency of the group this year.
“Africa Forward” from Nairobi
The “Africa Forward” summit, a partnership between France and Kenya, is expected to launch in Nairobi on May 11, amid anticipation of the political messages it will convey, especially in light of current international tensions and the ongoing diplomatic debate regarding South Africa’s position in major international forums.
