Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa of Africa has expressed the continent’s intention to prioritise the export of valuable finished products rather than raw materials from its minerals.
Ramaphosa was speaking during the second Russia-Africa Summit held in St Petersburg which kicked off on 27 July.
told his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, that Africa wants to export finished products, which will set Africa on a path to unlock unparalleled opportunities for the continent’s economies.
He emphasised the need to stop exporting ores and dust and instead export products that have added value.
“We no longer want to export ore, soil, dust and rocks from the minerals of our continent. We want to export finished products that have value.
“There must be respect also for what we do as countries, and we must stop those countries that count their wealth and their assets in terms of minerals that reside in the African soil like they did in the past when they counted their wealth in the number of slaves that they owned, taken from the African continent.
[READ]: President @CyrilRamaphosa calls for shift to high value exports https://t.co/L42EG2u8gl#RussiaAfricaSummit
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) July 28, 2023
“Respect and mutual benefit underpin what we as Africa do when we relate to other countries in the world,” Ramaphosa said.
He also highlighted Africa’s pursuit of balanced and mutually beneficial trade and investment, advocating for a level playing field in international trade.
“African countries should, as sovereign States, be able to pursue their own independent foreign policy approaches that are not beholden to any of the major global powers or blocs.
“This second Russia-Africa Summit is an opportunity to further enhance and strengthen international cooperation and partnership for Africa’s development,” he said.
Ramaphosa also urged for peaceful resolutions to conflicts, citing South Africa’s commitment to negotiation, dialogue, and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. He expressed hope for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through constructive engagement and negotiation.
In response to President Ramaphosa’s remarks, President Vladimir Putin of Russia expressed Russia’s agreement on the prospects of developing Russia-Africa relations. He assured continued communication between the two parties, particularly regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Putin also wished the upcoming Brics summit in South Africa success.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
