By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the world to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of all disputes through negotiation and inclusive dialogue.
Ramaphosa was speaking during the sixteenth Brics Heads of State Summit in Russia, where he stated that the world cannot afford a region-wide escalation of conflict.
“On our own continent (Africa), Sudan enters its second year of horrific conflict and devastation. This is another conflict the world seems to have forgotten about, Ramaphosa said.”
Ramaphosa also noted that conflicts in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions of Africa also persist.
This as Brics ally Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, in a conflict that has continued for over two years.
Criticism has been levelled at Ramaphosa for calling for peace in the Middle East while conflict continues in Ukraine.
Ramaphosa said his country believes the world cannot sit by and watch the suffering of Palestinians.
“The world cannot afford a region-wide escalation of the conflict,” he said in reference to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, and the plan to attack Iran.
He called on the international community and the UN Security Council in particular to address the spiraling conflict.
“We cannot allow conflicts to continue in perpetuity. We need to find paths to peace,” he said.
South Africa filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) tribunal based in The Hague in late 2023, accusing Israel, which has bombed Gaza since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Several countries, including, Türkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya and Colombia, have all joined the case which began public hearings in January.
In May, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It was the third time the 15-judge panel issued preliminary orders seeking to rein in the death toll and alleviate humanitarian suffering in the blockaded enclave, where the casualty count has crossed 42,800.
Ramaphosa also welcomed Russian initiatives to strengthen BRICS countries through various plans designed to improve the future of BRICS nations’ transport networks and connectivity under the theme “Innovation and Digitalization of Transport.”
“These efforts will help us integrate and deepen our inter-connectedness in new and imaginative ways,” Ramaphosa said, adding that the multilateral system remained the cornerstone to resolving global issues and should be safeguarded.
Ramaphosa highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to enhance the well-being of people within the BRICS bloc.
The African Union has launched an initiative to create a single unified air transport market in Africa to support the continent’s economic integration, Ramaphosa said, adding that “for BRICS and friends of the BRICS, we need to use these projects to further connect the greater Global South.”‘
He concluded by congratulating the Russian Federation and President Vladimir Putin on chairing a “successful” Brics Summit, as well as leading countries on adopting an “excellent declaration”.
“The Brics Outreach and Brics Plus engagements are important platforms for developing strong ties among countries from the greater Global South and emerging markets. We should use these platforms to foster meaningful engagement,” he said.