President Cyril Ramaphosa says one of the key achievements of the African Peace Mission was the positive reception the seven African heads of state and government received from both the Russian and the Ukraine side.
He said this in his letter to the nation on Monday.
Ramaphosa, who returned to the country on Sunday following meetings last week with Ukrainian President Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin says the reception was encouraging and provides cause for optimism that the proposals put forward to end the conflict will be given consideration.
He says that the primary concern of the African leaders is for the lives of the people directly affected by the conflict.
Ramaphosa also said that the continent has a material interest in ending the war which according to the African Development Bank, has “triggered a shortage of about 30 million tonnes of grains on the African continent, along with a sharp increase in cost. Supply chain disruptions have also caused a shortage of farming inputs such as fertilisers threatening the food security of a number of African countries.”
VIDEO: President Cyril Ramaphosa and Africa peace mission team back home:
