Cape Town — President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s stance as a country obligated to ensuring peace across all the nations, highlighted by the involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
During his State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ramaphosa addressed thousands of delegates in attendance and said South Africa, as the first African nation to host the G20 Summit, and he said it was a valuable opportunity to advance economic growth and sustainable development.
“We continue to work to strengthen the African Union to support the achievement of peace, development and economic integration on the continent,” Ramaphosa said.
He highlighted South Africa’s commitment to promoting peace in the DRC, Ukraine and Israel, and said for Africa to thrive, guns must be silenced on the continent.
South Africa has played a key role in restoring stability in the likes of Ivory Coast, Burundi, South Sudan and Lesotho, as well as Mozambique. He also stressed the importance of South Africa’s role in the DRC.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast for a week to honour South African Defence Force members who lost their lives in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. #AfricanInsider https://t.co/XkR4DiLf8m
— African Insider (@AfricanInsider2) February 7, 2025
“The presence of South African peacekeepers in the eastern DRC is testament to our continued commitment to the peaceful resolution of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts, which has cost millions of lives and displaced millions of people,” he said.
He highlighted South Africa’s role to help those who are struggling for freedom, in the same way the international community showed support during the fight against Apartheid.
“South Africa continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, who, having endured decades of illegal occupation, are now experiencing indescribable suffering,” he said.
He also said South Africa remained committed to bringing peace to the people of Ukraine and would continue to advance its agenda of cooperation as a member of the United Nations, African Union, Non-Aligned Movement and the BRICS group.
“We will continue to push for progress on the reform of the UN Security Council into a more inclusive, more effective body that is able to ensure peace and security,” he added.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
