South African President Cyril Ramaphosa meets US president Donald Trump on amid tensions over Washington's resettlement of white Afrikaners that the US president claims are the victims of genocide
Image: Jim Watson/ AFP
US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his support for peace and development across Africa, during his meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Their wide-ranging conversation touched on conflict resolution in Africa, global diplomacy, and the importance of collaboration between nations.
Speaking about Africa’s potential and his hopes for the continent, Trump said: "I want to see peace, and I want to see happiness. I want to see health. You know, you have incredible land, there's tremendous value. A lot of countries don't have that value in the land, the value you have."
Trump referred to recent progress made in conflict mediation efforts, mentioning a signed declaration between Rwanda and Congo.
"A couple of weeks ago, they signed a declaration of principle in which they agreed on the way forward. We have submitted draft peace agreements, and we’ve put together one that incorporates both of their suggestions. We’ve given it to them, so we’re in the process of finalising.''
Ramaphosa praised the support and diplomatic efforts made by both African and international partners in stabilising the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The African continent, particularly SADC, our Southern African Development Community, has for years been seeking to foster peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have to thank you for those efforts. All efforts, including those from outside the continent and inside the continent, are really worthwhile."
He added: “We are removing our troops from there so that peace can then prevail in that whole area. And we hope that, with the support of the international community, we will really have peace in that area. It's so vital and so important for the whole region.”
President Trump acknowledged the role of African leaders and expressed appreciation: "We sent our people there, and I think we did a very good job. I'm just hearing phenomenal reports.
''All I was hearing before was death, death, they’re chopping heads off. It’s so horrible over there. And it was really brave of you to go there. I really appreciate it."
The conversation expanded to global issues, including US diplomatic engagement with Pakistan, India, and the war in Ukraine.
Trump pointed to trade as a tool for easing tensions. "We just did something good. We’re doing a big deal with India. We’re doing a big deal with Pakistan. And I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ Somebody had to be the last one to shoot. But the shooting was getting worse and worse and we spoke to them. I think you know, I hate to say we got it settled."
Touching on the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said: "We’re trying to help. It doesn’t affect us. It’s not our people, it’s not our soldiers. It’s Ukraine and it’s Russia. But if we can save 5,000 souls, we’ll do it. We’re pretty good at it. But that’s a bad situation, that is a really bad situation."
Ramaphosa confirmed South Africa’s involvement in humanitarian and diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine conflict: “We’ve been involved in the Ukraine-Russia conflict for quite a while. With the Minister of State Security here. We’ve been dealing with them, the exchange of children who were taken away, going through names and addresses and all that. So we’ve been invested in that whole process as well.
''The moves you have been making are fully supported by us because we would like to see the end of that war,'' said Ramaphosa.
He recalled speaking with President Trump when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was visiting South Africa: “We both agreed that we need to push the peace message so that there can really be peace.”
Ramaphosa also shared that South Africa had drawn from the lessons of its late leader Nelson Mandela in its peace efforts: “We were lucky because we had the great Nelson Mandela who taught us how to create peace, to make peace. So we were imparting some of those lessons, some of those learnings. I specifically mentioned to Zelensky that this is how Nelson Mandela taught us, that when you want to have peace in a country, do it on an unconditional basis and sit down and talk.”
President Trump highlighted the reflection on the ongoing violence in Ukraine: “There’s a lot of hatred. There’s a lot of death. It’s a bloodbath. I get the satellite pictures of that field — that killing field. You never saw anything like it in your life. It’s horrible. It’s a horrible thing that goes on. But I think we’ve made big progress.”
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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