SA does not subscribe to choosing between Washington and Beijing – Mashatile

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says South Africa stands for the silencing of guns in Ukraine and that SA’s stance has been anti-war from the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Addressing the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, SA) dialogue 2023 in Boksburg yesterday, Mashatile said contrary to doomsayers’ view the African peace initiative would fail, the ANC believed it would succeed.

Mashatile on Ukraine-Russia dialogue

“We are fully behind the African peace initiative led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and seven other African heads of state and government to find a peaceful solution to the conflict by initiating dialogue between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky,” Mashatile said.

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“It is difficult to understand how doomsayers expected a solution to the conflict would have been found after just one meeting. Nevertheless, we are confident the African peace initiative, will ultimately succeed. We are keenly aware the solution will not be found overnight.”

Referring to the day’s theme, Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism, Mashatile said although countries shared in areas mentioned in the theme, they had different levels of economic development and geopolitical positioning in a world increasingly returning to the polarisation of the Cold War.

Washington vs Beijing

But SA did not subscribe to choosing between Washington and Beijing. He said the idea of two binary opposites was also in contrast with Brics’ decision in 2011 pertaining to its member states’ principles promoting openness, pragmatism, solidarity and neutrality regarding third parties.

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“The ANC would like to firmly reiterate its anti-war stance which we have asserted since the war began. We are for the silencing of the guns in Ukraine, the achievement of genuine peace and peaceful coexistence between Russia, Ukraine and the neighbourhood,” Mashatile said.

The ANC proposed the summit call for the reform of the UN Security Council and the inclusion of Africa in it.

– ericn@citizen.co.za