President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit Washington DC this week to meet with US President Joe Biden.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Dr Naledi Pandor, briefed the media on Monday on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming visit to Washington and New York in the US.
Ramaphosa will hold bilateral talks with president Joe Biden and participate in the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly
The visit to Washington DC follows the invitation by Biden, delivered by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his recent visit to South Africa. Ramaphosa accepted the invitation to the White House where he will hold talks with Biden on September 16.
Last month, Blinken said the Biden administration sees Africa’s 54 nations as “equal partners” in tackling global problems, during a visit to Sub-Saharan Africa which included South Africa.
“The two presidents will reaffirm the importance of our enduring partnership, and discuss our work together to address regional and global challenges,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement announcing this week’s meeting
Biden also plans to host a US-Africa leaders’ summit in December.
UN General Assembly 77
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) will take place at the UN headquarters in New York City from September 20-27 under the theme: “A watershed moment: Unlocking transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”.
Much of the focus of the high-level and side-meetings to be held at UNGA will focus on development matters, specifically health, education and the broader implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) says the UNGA77 is being held at a time when the world is characterised by geopolitical tensions, concerns around the proliferation of mini-lateral security pacts which, in part, replicate the work that should ordinarily be undertaken by the UN Security Council. Also, the world economy is under strain, and its ramifications on food, energy and finances require a united global response.
“Another equally important meeting that will take place will be one focussing on the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. There should be no illusion that the threat of nuclear weapons constitutes a threat to humanity. The recent failure of State Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to adopt an outcome following a Review Conference of the Treaty, is of huge concern, specifically the failure of nuclear weapons states to keep to their commitments to disarm.”
The various engagements at UNGA will provide South Africa with an opportunity to highlight issues of national, regional and international importance. South Africa’s participation in the General Debate of the UNGA77 is a strategic opportunity for the promotion of our national and foreign policy objectives as espoused in Chapter 7 of the NDP, Positioning South Africa in the World, said Dirco.
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