‘Who said what won't matter’: Diplomat unpacks upcoming Cyril Ramaphosa-Donald Trump meeting
Former South African ambassador to Portugal, Dr Kingsley Makhubela, said the upcoming meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US president Donald Trump is an opportunity to reset the bilateral relations.
Image: Supplied
Former South African ambassador to Portugal, Dr Kingsley Makhubela, said the upcoming meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and United States President Donald Trump presents a critical opportunity to restart the strained bilateral relationship.
Earlier this week, IOL reported that Ramaphosa revealed that South Africa is to meet with the US “soon” to resolve bilateral differences.
Ramaphosa announced on social media platform X that he had a phone call with Trump on Thursday morning. Part of the conversation included the fostering of peace in Ukraine.
The president also mentioned the phone call during a media briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
“We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations. We also spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries,” said Ramaphosa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on the phone.
Image: Elmond Jiyane, GCIS
On Saturday, veteran diplomat, Makhubela told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the envisaged meeting is an opportunity to restart the battered relationship.
“I think those will be issues around how to best restart the relations that have been really bruised in the recent past by comments that have been made by President Trump and the United States around the question of genocide going on in South Africa.
“I think it is to clarify those issues, and to refocus on areas of common interest that really exist between the two countries. I think that will be the focus.
“I don’t think it will make sense to go and dig into the history - who said what, who didn’t say what. I think (the meeting) will be to find a solution and clarify some of the misconceptions that may exist between the two countries.
IOL has reported that since Trump returned to the White House in January, the US and South Africa's bilateral ties have drastically deteriorated.
In a sharp escalation of diplomatic tensions, Trump expelled South Africa’s ambassador and suspended financial aid, citing strong objections to the country’s land reform policies and Pretoria's decision to pursue a genocide case against Israel - one of Washington’s key allies - at the International Court of Justice.
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Ramaphosa hosted Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on his first official visit to the country. Zelenskyy is the first-ever president from Ukraine to visit South Africa.
However, Zelensky had to cut short his inaugural visit to South Africa in response to a devastating overnight missile and drone assault on Kyiv by Russian forces.
According to local authorities, the attack claimed the lives of at least nine people and left more than 70 others injured, including children.
IOL