Home

SA, US will work through their current diplomatic difficulties: Linnee

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The United States Consul General in Durban, Anne Linnee, says she is confident that South Africa and the United States will work through their current diplomatic difficulties.

Tensions arose this week after US ambassador to SA, Reuben Brigety alleged that the country sold weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine.

An inquiry into the docking of the Russian ship Lady R in Simon’s Town in December 2022 has since been established.

Brigety has since apologised for his remarks, but his comments have sparked widespread debate about the US having a disregard for the sovereignty of South Africa as a state.

Linnee says the two countries have disagreed in the past but continue to work together.

“The advantage of having two very large, very robust democracies with free media is that sometimes there are tensions and things do escalate. But we’re also optimistic that we can have areas where we disagree but even more areas where we agree on. So, for example, we have a very very large robust health engagement: our President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)  Programme – which here in KZN is particularly the largest focus. We’ve had ups and downs in the US-South Africa relationship on specific issues over the last 20 years. But PEPFAR has endured, and I think that our conversation about racial equity and justice can similarly endure those ups and downs in other areas of the relationship.”

Discussion on relations between SA and the US with Prof Christopher Isike:

Author

MOST READ