Johannesburg, May 25 (PTI) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday firmly rejected any attempts to get African countries to take sides in any global conflict, saying they would continue to resist calls to abandon its non-aligned foreign policy. Speaking on Africa Day at the cradle of humankind in Krugersdorp, Ramaphosa said Africa was being dragged into conflicts far beyond the own borders of its countries.
Although he did not mention Ukraine-Russia War specifically, Ramaphosa has previously strongly rejected any attempt for South Africa to take sides in that battle.
Ramaphosa said the words of the founding charter of the OAU, which is the predecessor of the African Union, are as relevant today as they were back then.
This year marks 60 years since the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was founded on May 25 in 1963.
“The charter called for African countries to safeguard and consolidate their hard-won independence, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for resistance against neo-colonialism in all its forms. Some countries, including our own, are being threatened with penalties for pursuing an independent foreign policy and for adopting a position of non-alignment,” the president said.
“As African countries, we have painful memories of a time when proxy wars were waged on the soils of Africa by foreign superpowers. We have not forgotten the terrible, brutal legacy of first having our continent carved up and colonised by European countries, only to find ourselves once more pawns on a chessboard during the Cold War,” he added.
“We are not going back to that period in history. That is why I will say it again today. South Africa has not been, and will not be, drawn into a contest between global powers. We will maintain our position on the peaceful resolution of conflict wherever those conflicts occur,” Ramaphosa firmly reaffirmed.
“Guided by the lessons of our history, we will continue to resist calls to abandon our independent and non-aligned foreign policy,” he said.
Ramaphosa said that despite the plunder of Africa’s resources to make other countries rich, the continent had risen in defence of her liberty and independence.
“Today we are the rulers of our own lands. Despite conquest, colonialism, slavery, apartheid and the many acts of barbarism directed against Africans throughout history, we have prevailed,” he said.
Ramaphosa also cited the collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic as having given new momentum to the cause of African integration.
“We learned as Africans that we have the means, the capacity and the political will to develop and implement solutions to Africa’s challenges. We were reminded that excellent, world-class expertise exists right here on our continent,” he said. PTI FH PY PY PY
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