President Cyril Ramaphosa says Africa can trade and engage on its own terms, adding that it is therefore wrong to label initiatives such as the Russia-Africa summit as world powers’ attempt to expand their geo-political influence.
This is contained in his weekly letter to the nation Monday morning.
President Ramaphosa and 42 heads of state from other African countries attended the summit in Sochi, Russia, last week.
The President said this is an opportunity for the super powers to invest in the continent on a mutual basis.
He insists Africa’s engagement with the Russian Federation will help boost the African Continental Free Trade Area which is set to come into effect in 2020.
President Ramaphosa also said South Africa will use its 2020 chair of the African Union to ensure that the African continent is able to trade and engage with the world on its own terms.
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