‘Pleased’ Trump backs Ramaphosa, pledges cooperation

The Trump administration has faith and full confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa – and wants to increase trade and investment between the two countries, empower women and youth with entrepreneurial skills and help the country fight violent crime in the townships and on farms.

Washington also offered to intensify its funding of the HIV-Aids prevention programme in South Africa. This year alone it would spend about R11.2 billion on the programme.

This was revealed by US ambassador-designate to South Africa Lana Marks, who said the US was pleased Ramaphosa was doing his utmost to address problems besetting South Africa in a transparent manner.

“President Trump believes in President Ramaphosa, the entire Congress believes in President Ramaphosa. We intend to increase trade, I will be a conduit to do that,” Marks said.

International relations expert Professor Siphamandla Zondi said the US and South Africa were attracted to each other by common interests – both Trump’s and Ramaphosa’s foreign policies prioritised the economy rather than politics.

“So, it’s a boost for Ramaphosa because his outlook has been focusing on investment and economic growth. The appointment of the ambassador simply means there is common interest around trade and investment.

“This ambassador will succeed if she is able to attract investment to South Africa,” Zondi said.

This is exactly what Marks offered to achieve as she stressed that she was not comfortable with the US being the third-largest trading partner with South Africa.

“As you’ll soon learn about me, I’m not one to settle for the third place,” she said.

Addressing media at the US Consulate in Sandton yesterday, the ambassador explained that her mandate was clear – to increase trade and maximise investment between the US and SA.

“South Africa is the democratic and economic leader of the world’s fastest-growing continent and I cannot emphasise in strong enough terms that the United States – our government, our business, our investors – greatly value the partnership between our nations,” Marks said.

The value of the two-way trade partnership between the two countries amounted to more than R203 billion in 2018.

“We are the largest source of foreign direct investment with over 600 American companies active in South Africa, which account for an estimated 10% of GDP and for over 200,000 jobs,” Marks said.

The US firms invested in the country had been able to transfer skills and develop talent of South Africans which, in the long term, would improve the country’s competitiveness in the global economy.

“My message for South Africa is that I am here to work with you to maximise this exciting opportunity at such a critical time,” she said.

The US was committed to expand the number of commercial deals between US and South African businesses and would promote a better business climate as part of its Prosper Africa initiative.

“I will lead our Mission South Africa ‘dream team’ as we work to play matchmaker for American firms interested in coming to South Africa, and South African companies looking for access to the US market,” Marks said.

During her time in SA, she would promote women and youth empowerment, including investment in their education, development and entrepreneurial skills.

The US government pledged to help in South Africa’s fight against violent crime in the townships, on farms and elsewhere. Marks did not elaborate on this, but it is understood to emanate from Trump’s concern about farm killings in South Africa after he was lobbied by civil rights group AfriForum.

Marks, an East London-born bag designer and entrepreneur, attributed her delayed deployment to a rigorous “vetting process” in the US.

She said Trump was all along anxious to deploy her to South Africa and expressed his liking for the beauty of Cape Town.

Marks’ sentiments were echoed by Zondi, who said the 32-month delay to appoint an ambassador to SA could be associated with the fact that Trump was more concerned with economics than political diplomacy.

“There was nothing peculiar about the delay in her appointment. Remember that there were over 150 appointments to be done by Congress and some positions are still being filled. Also, it is possible Trump did not have enough people to appoint to the position and this goes with the fact that Africa was not key to the US foreign policy,” Zondi said.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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