Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the United Nations, emphasizing the need to challenge “might is right” world order.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated South Africa’s willingness to help end the US-Israel-Iran conflict, whether through mediation or other means. Ramaphosa’s comments are hardly a surprise. South Africa prides itself on being a country that believes in dialogue—a national identity shaped by the anti-apartheid struggle. The country has established itself as a key mediator for external conflict, having led several mediation efforts since its democratic transition in 1994. As recently as 2023, Ramaphosa led a group of seven African leaders to Europe to mediate the Russia-Ukraine war. Regarding the Middle East conflict, South Africa and Iran are members of the BRICS bloc, and Pretoria has maintained ties with Tehran despite heavy pressure from the US. As a result, South Africa is well-positioned to lead a mediation effort between the US, Israel, and Iran to end the conflict. Now in its sixth day, the war has wreaked havoc across the Middle East and is threatening to disrupt the global economy, which will particularly affect Africa.
CNBC Africa