South Africa's president says the country will not choose sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite pressure from major trading partners.
"Some countries, including ours, are being threatened with sanctions for pursuing an independent foreign policy and taking a non-aligned stance," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a speech on the outskirts of Johannesburg on May 25.
According to Mr. Ramaphosa, South Africa will continue to maintain its stance calling for peaceful resolution of conflicts, regardless of where they occur.
President Ramaphosa added that South Africa was determined not to be drawn into any rivalry between world powers. "Africa has painful memories of proxy wars fought by world powers in the past and does not want to return to that period again," Mr Ramaphosa said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at a press conference in Cape Town on May 16. Photo: Reuters
US Ambassador to Pretoria Reuben Brigety said on May 11 that weapons and ammunition were loaded onto a cargo ship, apparently Russian, that docked at South Africa's Simon's Town naval base in December 2022. The South African government denied the allegations.
South Africa’s finance minister said on May 14 that the country had “resolved” the allegations with the US. Before Pretoria and Washington cooled tensions, analysts warned that South Africa could lose preferential trade access to the US market, causing the rand to depreciate against the US dollar.
Relations between the US and South Africa have been somewhat strained after the latter refused to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine. The US is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $23.3 billion in 2022, compared to $850 million between South Africa and Russia, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mr Ramaphosa said in March 2022 that South Africa had been asked to “play a mediating role” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He did not specify who had made the request, but said it was an approach based on its relations with Russia and its membership in the BRICS bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
South Africa has been in a dilemma since the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March. Mr Putin is expected to attend the 15th BRICS summit, which will take place in South Africa in August.
In theory, the ICC's decision requires 123 member states, including South Africa, to arrest President Putin and transfer him to The Hague, Netherlands, for trial if he sets foot on their territory.
Russia has called the ICC arrest warrant meaningless. The United States and Russia were once members of the ICC but have since withdrawn and do not recognize the body. Some countries, such as China and India, are not members and do not recognize the ICC's authority. Two South African foreign ministry officials said in March that they would likely not arrest any visiting heads of state.
Nhu Tam (According to Bloomberg )
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