South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the representatives of various political parties during a recent dialogue. He utilized the opportunity to reassert his strategy of non-alignment and commend South-South partnerships, while Pretoria’s claimed neutrality in the war in Ukraine has caused dissatisfaction among countries in the North. He further added that “South Africa applauds China’s principled foreign policy posture based on the principles of non-interference and mutual benefit.”
As the South African head of state, Ramaphosa is tasked with balancing his country’s vital economic relationships with Western nations alongside cooperation with the BRICS. He reiterated the call for a new world order, stating that “We continue to call for reform of international institutions, including the UN Security Council and global financial institutions. We are opposed to a unipolar world, guided by unilateralism, and we continue to strive for the development of a multipolar world order, based on mutual respect and the creation of win-win partnerships.”
This dialogue with China is expected to continue later in the year, as South Africa holds the rotating presidency of the BRICS and is set to host the group’s annual summit in August 2023.