Ramaphosa urges safeguarding of multilateral system

Brics members must commit to the peaceful resolution of all disputes through negotiation, inclusive dialogue and safeguard the ability of states to pursue independent foreign policy. That’s according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who last week addressed global leaders, including Russia's President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, at the Brics Summit in Kazan, Russia. ‘We must safeguard the multilateral system because it is the cornerstone of international relations and fosters an environment of peace and development. Existing global institutional mechanisms need to be both strengthened and reformed to play a constructive role in international peace and security. We cannot allow conflicts to continue in perpetuity. We need to find paths to peace,’ he said. News24 reports that Ramaphosa delivered SA's second country statement during a Brics Outreach and Brics Plus engagement. He used the platform to call for world peace and again did not mention the Russia-Ukraine war. The President's focus was on the escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel. Ramaphosa has been one of the leading voices on the continent calling for a negotiated settlement in the Middle East. He was also one of the leaders that led the African Peace Initiative, which engaged with Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskyy in a bid to end the conflict.

Ramaphosa reiterated SA's concerns about the military aggression by Israel against the people of Gaza, which Pretoria has characterised as genocide. ‘We call on the international community and the UN Security Council in particular to address the spiralling conflict,’ said Ramaphosa. News24 notes that he said Brics countries must continue to support nations and people who seek to end the cycle of conflict and choose a path of peace. ‘This genocide led SA to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with a view to stopping the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza. We believe the world cannot sit by and watch the slaughter of innocent people continuing,’ he added. 

Ramaphosa reiterated that the UN Security Council must be representative and inclusive: ‘We see from many conflicts raging across the world that the UNSC has not fulfilled its mandate to maintain international peace and security. It does not represent the interests of the global community, and therefore does not have the means to give effect to the global desire for peace.’ The Cape Times reports that the Kazan Declaration, adopted at the summit, called for the peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomacy, dialogue and mediation. ‘We stress the need to engage in conflict prevention efforts, including addressing their root causes,’ the document noted, emphasising the importance of inclusive dialogue to achieve long-term stability. The declaration also expressed ‘grave concern’ over the escalating violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Gaza and southern Lebanon. The Brics leaders called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of hostages and the unhindered supply of humanitarian aid to the region.

Full Cape Times report

Full News24 report

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has denied signing agreements with its Russian counterpart, VEB.RF – which is under US sanctions – regarding the opening of credit lines in national currencies. Business Day reports that the DBSA said its chair, Ebrahim Rasool, and CEO Boitumelo Mosako took part in an annual meeting of banks to discuss co-ordination during the Brics summit, but ‘no credit line was signed’ with the Russian State Development Bank. The statement contradicts an announcement by the chair of the Brics Interbank Co-ordinating Mechanism (ICM), Igor Shuvalov, at the opening plenary meeting of Brics leaders on Wednesday in Kazan, Russia. Igor told the meeting that members of the ICM had approved revised framework agreements with partners and ‘we have signed agreements on credit lines in national currencies with China and SA. We expect Brazil and India to join this document.’

Full Business Day report