WAR IN EUROPE
Ramaphosa set to join African mission to broker peace talks between Ukraine, Russia
After more than a year of war in Ukraine African leaders have decided to spearhead and facilitate what they hope could be the beginning of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be part of a delegation of African leaders who will be reaching out to both countries as the war continues to rage.
Ramaphosa is facilitating the talks because of his open line to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky. Daily Maverick understands that Ramaphosa called both leaders last week and both were open to the idea.
He made the official announcement of this new development at the ANC National Working Committee meeting over the weekend, according to sources.
The plan was mooted even before the public spat between South Africa and the US but is starting to take shape now.
Ramaphosa said on Tuesday it is important for Africa to come forward with this initiative. He was speaking on the sidelines of the state visit of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
“We are hoping that we will have intensive discussions with the two heads of state and they have said that they are open to having these discussions with us. As to where the discussions lead, we will see as the discussions get under way. So it is very difficult to predict what in the end the real outcome will be and what the full ramifications will be about BRICS,” he explained.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Ukraine President Zelensky warns Ramaphosa against selling arms to Russia
Preparations are now under way for the African heads of state to travel to Kyiv and Moscow to begin the negotiations.
The other countries in the delegation are Zambia, Senegal, Uganda, Congo and Egypt.
Read more in Daily Maverick: US rang the alarm bells in February about SA’s alleged supply of arms to Russian cargo ship Lady R – Godongwana
Sources told Daily Maverick that these countries are trying to convince UN secretary-general António Guterres and other key countries such as the US and the UK to get on board. Ramaphosa had already reached out to US President Joe Biden about the initiative.
A negotiated resolution will not only halt the bloodshed but will help to slow the haemorrhaging from African economies.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had adverse effects on economies around the world and particularly poses a threat to food security in South Africa because of sanctions imposed on Russia. The Russian government supplies African countries with grain and fertiliser.
Read more in Daily Maverick: US ambassador lashes out at ANC government for ‘providing arms and ammunition to Russia’
South Africa has in the past few months faced a backlash over its non- aligned stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This led to South Africa abstaining from the United Nations vote on Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories, while 143 countries voted in favour of the resolution.
In a further escalation of tensions, US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety rocked US relations with South Africa by publicly announcing that the US was “confident” that the South African government had loaded weapons and ammunition on to the Russian cargo ship Lady R in the Simon’s Town naval harbour in December 2022.
On the other hand, Pretoria has continued to strengthen its close ties with Moscow despite calls for Putin to be arrested for his hand in the war.
The arrest warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague in March, and since South Africa is a member of the ICC it is obligated to arrest Putin when he is in the country for the BRICS summit in August.
Ramaphosa appointed an interministerial committee last month which is expected to consider South Africa’s position in relation to the ICC. It will be chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
This follows confusion over South Africa’s position regarding the ICC: Ramaphosa announced that the country would pull out of the international statutory body, but the Presidency later made a U-turn, saying that South Africa would remain a signatory to the Rome Statute. DM
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Just another tax payer sponsored holiday – do they think anyone will take them seriously?
Oh please. Ramaphosa is only hot air. He plays a silly game while our country declines under his lack of leadership!!
Step 1 – stop selling arms to Russia.
Step 2 – Stop getting party funding from Russia.
Guys, I don’t think this will work…
Well, South Africa’s wonderfully neutral position in the conflict places them in a strong position to lead the talks……
Lol!
Lets give it a go – nothing to loose.
Give what a go ? Here is the ‘leader’ of a criminal enterprise called the ANC who has sent several of his minions to ‘suck up’ to Putin (who started the war in the first place with an invasion of a sovereign country with clearly defined borders), since the start of that invasion and now that the bully has been getting a bloody nose, decides it is time to ‘negotiate’ ! So much for being ‘non-aligned’ . Time for this spineless president (who can’t even deal with the corruption in his own ranks) to stop this charade of thinking he or his other African cadres, can actually do anything meaningful in world affairs. Give us a break … and maybe some electricity first … without enriching Chancellor House as a priority !
Spot on!
I don’t believe it was on the cards. More likely cooked up over the weekend to show “neutrality”. It has as much chance of succeeding as the Pope’s mystery plan. Firstly this bunch carry no weight. They can neither use the carrot or the stick. They are nobodies to Russia and Ukraine will see in 2 minutes that the plan is to ceasefire and leave Russia in place. Secondly it is premature because Ukraine believes rightly or wrongly that it will drive Russia further back and if it has to compromise will be in a better position later to give less and get more. Only China can pressure Russia and together with NATO give guarantees to Ukraine. And in any case this distraction is another crime against the people of SA. Instead of dealing with difficult decisions here Ramaphosa is spending money, time, and energy on a jaunt to get the ANC out of trouble. They really do take us for fools.
Well, that depressingly sums it up nicely.
Well said.
What credibility will any SA delegation have in Ukraine when everyone knows we sent items of war to their enemy.
Not really neutral, or am i missing something maybe 😉
I am trying to think of a suitable expression to describe the amount of Ramaphosa’s (and that of SA with him) credibility iro Russia vs Ukraine. I failed so I called up very small numbers for inspiration
1 Å One ten-billionth of a meter
1 nanosecond One thousand-millionth of a second
1 Light-nanosecond ≈30 cm, the distance a photon could travel in one nanosecond
1 Jiffy In computing, the jiffy is a duration of one tick of the system timer interrupt: 0.01 seconds
1 Furman An angular measurement 1 165,536th of a circle
OK I got it , a Ramaphocredible, the tiniest amount of credibility that anyone can possibly have while still registering any at all, also known as a nanocredible, so tiny that it only exists at the molecular level
Hahahahaha. I’m laughing so much 🤣🤣🤣🤣
LOL! The ‘honest’ broker. I’m sure Zelenskyy is relieved. He’ll have an effective negotiator. Not. CR should just stay home – and broker some kind of governance for South Africa, as it accelerates down the rabbit hole.
CR needs to do something to fix his own country and concentrate on fixing Eskom and loadshedding etc etc before he fixes other countries
This international statesman stuff is all pomposity and ego. CR trying to show off on the international stage, while Rome burns at home. A welcome distraction from the real tough stuff at home.
They can’t even create peace within African countries.
No visit to Ethiopia, Sudan of the DRC! Bunch of charlatans, wasting taxpayers money.
Can’t see the Ukranians giving up territory and rightly so. I suspect that Ramaphosa thinks that he can swing this and be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. They are always scheming whilst problems at home escalate at an alarming rate
Is it wrong for me to be cautiously optimistic about this?
Hope springs eternal…
Hell, yes!
The whole idea of CR brokering a peace deal is absolutely hilarious!
The ANC is not even capable of organising a pissup in a brewery let alone world peace!
Russia has us by the balls for some reason and our government is being squeezed to extraordinary lengths in support of Russia – seems like Putin can’t fight his own battles any longer and CR just can’t say no to yet another dance with the Kremlin.
Excellent comment. CR has a boatload of trouble to deal with here that he is incapable of sorting out. Actually I have no words – it’s mind-boggling.
He can’t even run his own country! I’m sure that Putin is going to listen to a bunch of third world crooks. Seems like Cyril is fiddling while his country burns.
Birds of a feather…..
You know when you have a really important task to get done, but it’s really difficult so you procrastinate even starting it by taking on other less important tasks like spring cleaning the house or rearranging your shoe cupboard?
Eskom (and our country) = really important task
Russia/Ukraine = shoe cupboard
Ah, Africa! Well-known as a sunlit Eden of the World where peace and harmony reign , a shining example to the warring nations of the World on sound governance and a caring society. Now go and sort out that terrible school playground fight in Eastern Europe! Don’t you dare come back with a nuclear-powered PowerStation in your pocket!
Ramaphosa has been exposed! His wealth I suspect has been gained from being a collaborator. Firstly he collaborated with the mining magnates during his stint in the trade union movement. This earned him lots of BEE deals (bribes?) This was followed by his “moderate” approach to writing the new constitution and collaborating with the National party. More “business” deals. Thereafter he collaborated with the anc mafia earning even more money. Now he wants to collaborate with Putin in exchange for funding of his linping anc. Maybe more. None his wealth comes from business acumen.
Putin is playing a clever game with him: Making Ramaphosa think he is this influential statesman and pulling him into the Russian sphere of influence until he he is totally alienated from the West. Then Russia can start dictating SA policies / politics just like Georgia, Belarus and others
You make some very valid points here….
Oh what a relief! At last Ramaphosa can appoint the ultimate committee of his peers to tell Ukraine to surrender and let Russia take what it likes. He may even ask Russia to say sorry for hurting people!
What a bloody sick joke this is. Ramaphosa couldn’t mediate his way out of a wet paper bag. And he is so clearly not a neutral observer. Tone deaf and stupid.
Hear Hear!
What convenient timing. #subtle
Pretty easy. Can do it via zoom. russia must withdraw its forces from all occupied Ukraine including Crimea and peace will happen instantly. Then if russia has some beef with NATO or the west, raise it at the UN. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, russia can state its case and veto anything it doesn’t like. Similarly, Ukrainian can take its claims for atrocities and reparations to the UN, and ask the UN to recommend crimes against humanity to the ICC.
My day has been made! Haven’t stopped laughing since I read the article but the comments are the best. Thanks guys you all summed it up brilliantly.
This is laughable. He can’t even provide basic human rights for his own country and he’s going to resolve the war?
Ramaphosa has not the ability for this so called peace indaba. He appoints committees for everything and does nothing himself. He should be trying to sort out our country as his first and major priority, but as usual is trying to deflect from his extremely poor governing
So, 80% of 10-year old’s in SA are functionally illiterate, our school system is falling apart, our universities are being plundered and whistleblowers murdered, ditto the power stations and everything else, and Rama-Pinocchio wants to bestride the world stage (by committee! – you’ve to love that he can’t even do foreign policy without one!) and sprinkle Madiba magic on the problem (none left – they’ve wasted that too), and hey presto! it’ll all be done? Problem for us is that the longer his nose grows, the more he uses it to tilt at windmills in a desperate attempt to divert attention from the abysmal state of South Africa under the ANC.
Stay in Africa,and sort Sudan and other hotspots out this sounds like a April Fool’s joke
My thoughts are that this is a red herring to the real reason and potential for this visit.
We know that China has been doing its best to get a foothold in Africa through deals such as infrastructure etc. Now we should be thinking about what deals may be made with Russia. South Africa is strategically placed in the world – imagine Russia investing in our currently pathetic military?
Naval base, airforce etc.. imagine the shift in world power? And the Congo where fighting has been going on with regard to the riches in the soil? And Egypt? Think of a chess board – he who wins has men in strategic position…
Putin is no fool… can we say that about CR?