President Cyril Ramaphosa highlights the enduring partnership between South Africa and the US, addressing recent disinformation and diplomatic efforts.
Image: Supplied
President Cyril Ramaphosa has remarked that the United States remains a strategic and historic partner to South Africa despite flurry of disinformation policies implemented by the country's 47th president, Donald Trump.
Addressing Parliament, Ramaphosa said South Africa continues to actively interact with the US through political, diplomatic, and economic means.
"Soon after the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU) last year, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and the Minister and Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition undertook official visits to Washington DC for engagements with the administration, members of Congress, business and academia.
"Following the election of President Trump in November last year, I had a telephone call with the President-elect to congratulate him on his election and to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening relations between our two countries," Ramaphosa said.
Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool has recently been assigned to DC for his second term as the country's ambassador to the US.
Ramaphosa added that Rasool is on the ground with his team, meeting with key stakeholders to emphasise the significance of strengthening economic, political, and cultural ties between these two historic allies.
"We have taken note of an Executive Order and recent statements by the current US administration about South Africa and aspects of our domestic and foreign policy. We have expressed concern about the mischaracterisation of the situation in South Africa and certain of our laws and our foreign policy positions," said the president.
This comes after the 'land of the free and the home of the brave' has reiterated its commitment to the resettlement of Afrikaners who they believe are experiencing unjust racial discrimination in South Africa.
"Consistent with President Trump's Executive Order on Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa, the US Department of State is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and implementing partners to consider eligibility for US refugee resettlement for disfavored ethnic minority Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination," said the US Embassy.
IOL Politics