South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer be attending the G7 Summit in Japan.
The Japanese government has opted to invite African Union Chairperson, Comoros President Azali Assoumani.
The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and the European Union.
The 49th Summit is expected to take place in May.
Heightened security
Meanwhile, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a day after escaping an apparent attack, vowed to ensure the safety of Group of Seven dignitaries visiting his country, beginning with tighter security for climate ministers gathering in Sapporo.
Bodyguards bundled Kishida to safety on Saturday after a man threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at him during an election campaign stop at a fishing port in western Japan.
The suspect in Saturday’s incident, identified by police as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura, was also carrying a knife when he was arrested, as well as a possible second explosive device he dropped at the scene after bystanders and police tackled him, Kyodo news agency reported.
No motive for the apparent attack, in which media said one police officer was slightly injured, has been announced.
– Additional reporting by Reuters
