CAPE TOWN: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday that six African leaders are planning to travel to Russia and Ukraine in order to help find a solution to the ongoing war. P
residents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine have agreed to receive the mission and meet with the African heads of state in both Moscow and Kyiv, according to Ramaphosa.
The initiative, drawn up by Zambia, Senegal, the Republic of Congo, Uganda, Egypt, and South Africa, was presented by Ramaphosa during separate telephone calls with Putin and Zelensky over the weekend.
UN, African Union welcomes peace initiative
Ramaphosa stated that preparations for engagements with the African heads of state are now underway and expressed hope for intensive discussions. The initiative has been briefed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the African Union (AU), who have both welcomed it.
Ramaphosa did not provide specific details or a timeline for the visit, but emphasized the devastating impact of the conflict and its consequences for Africa, including rising grain prices and the disruption of world trade.
The announcement comes in the midst of other diplomatic efforts to resolve the war, including a visit by a Chinese special envoy to Kyiv to promote peace negotiations led by Beijing.
Last week, Guterres expressed that peace negotiations were not currently possible due to both sides’ belief that they can win. However, Ramaphosa noted that the African initiative has received cautious support in Washington and several European capitals visited by facilitators tasked with presenting the plan.
This initiative could assist South Africa in rehabilitating its image as a neutral player and mediator, as the country has faced accusations of leaning towards Russia. The commander of South Africa’s ground forces recently visited Moscow to discuss military cooperation, which critics have cited as evidence of a tilt towards the Kremlin.
Last week, the US envoy to Pretoria accused South Africa of supplying weapons to Moscow, but South Africa’s defense minister, Thandi Modise, denied the allegations.
Despite the pressure to take sides in the conflict, Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s commitment to not be drawn into a contest between global powers. South Africa has refrained from condemning the conflict in Ukraine, maintaining its neutrality.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was on a state visit to Cape Town, indirectly criticized South Africa’s stance, stating that one country cannot invade another with impunity and that clear disapproval should be expressed. He added that while they remain friends with Russia, they cannot approve of its actions.
