President Cyril Ramaphosa has told his political interlocutors in Washington that Africa should be allowed the space to choose its own partners. He says the continent should never again find itself as a battleground for influence among global powers.
Ramaphosa took this firm position on a day packed with engagements in the United States capital, Washington.
The day saw him pay a working visit to the White House where he met with President Joe Biden following earlier interactions with Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress.
President Ramaphosa briefs the media on his state visit in the United States
Target insurgency
On a day of extensive discussions covering a broad range of topics from increasing business investment to financing for a just transition away from fossil fuel dependence to geo-strategic concerns, particularly in Mozambique, Ramaphosa warned that without additional resources, South Africa could very well become the next target of the insurgency taking place there.
I am pleased to be starting my working visit at a breakfast meeting with VP @KamalaHarris – the visit is aimed at strengthening the relationship between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/8OSm8pWieD
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 16, 2022
It’s a day that started with Vice President Kamala Harris, a conversation with the Congressional Black Caucus at an event that the South African embassy had hosted and then the key meeting of the day with President Joe Biden at the White House.
“We’ve ended up with two great democracies and a lot to do. We could become you personally and your country is such a critical part of what happened in this country of 100 million people. A billion people. We really need to make sure we fully understand one another. Our partnerships are essential in addressing the management of the world’s pressing challenges. South Africa is a vital voice on a global stage and a leader in the international order. We have a lot to talk about what’s happening.”
US-SA Relations | Joe Biden and Kamala Harris meet Cyril Ramaphosa in the United States
Expanding the business-to-business relationship
A lot they talked about from expanding the business-to-business relationship, including the need for an extension of the African Growth and Opportunities Act, which is due to expire in 2025, the removal of US tariffs placed on steel and aluminum exports from South Africa, infrastructure support, COVID-19 including support for the WTO Trips waivers on diagnostics and therapeutics, food insecurity in Africa, Africa’s greater representation in multilateral fora including a seat for the African Union in the G20 and the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Zimbabwe
“We also raised the issue of sanctions against Zimbabwe and argued that the sanctions that are imposed on Zimbabwe have collateral damage on us as South Africa in that as they implement those sanctions against Zimbabwe, it weakens the Zimbabwean economy resulting in Zimbabweans leaving in droves, leaving Zimbabwe in droves, going to neighboring countries South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. We then suffer collateral damage as a result of that because as they come to our countries, they obviously want services that we have to provide and it imposes a burden on our own countries.”
Ditch efforts to pass the Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act
Ramaphosa urged the United States to ditch efforts to pass the Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act that would oblige Washington to punish African governments deemed to have aided Russian malign activities on the continent.
“We raised this concern that if that bill were to go through, it would marginalize Africa because it would seem like Africa would now be punished for having partners, a partner like Russia. For the most part, most African countries are nonaligned and we expressed a view that it would be unfair for the US to punish African countries by just merely either associating with Russia on an economic basis, on a business basis.”
Confirming that the issue of insecurity in Mozambique was also on the agenda:
“We have been getting support from the US but we want that to be increased because we need to ensure that those insurgents are completely driven out of Mozambique. You’re absolutely right, it’s urgent. Timelines were not really discussed at all but we could say that this is urgent.”
Resolving the conflict in Ukraine
“We have said as much in this war has gone on for far too long and needs to be brought to an end. And as we have always said, those who are part of this whole drama of the war should now be serious about sitting around the table and finding solutions and that is why we say United Nations secretary general and various other eminent persons should get involved in negotiating this conflict to an end.
Importance of President Ramaphosa’s state visit to the US: Prof. Patrick Bond
President Ramaphosa will depart Washington for London later on Saturday for Queen Elizabeth the Second’s funeral on Monday before returning for the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
