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It must be a little awkward, attending a G7 meeting while holding a supposedly neutral position on the invasion of Ukraine, only to have your Russian friends drop missiles on that most civilian of targets: a crowded shopping centre.
It’s presumably a sort of discomfort President Cyril Ramaphosa is becoming fast accustomed to, as he turns a blind eye to Vladimir Putin’s gross violations of both international and humanitarian law.
Even so, it’s deeply disingenuous — not to mention tone deaf — to then speak about the “silver lining” of the devastating conflict, which, he said, is that it could force African countries to become more self-sufficient.
Few would argue the continent couldn’t do with a buffer against the vagaries of global supply chains. But if this is your takeaway — rather than an illegitimate war that has pushed food security to the top of Africa’s agenda — that’s slathering lipstick all over the proverbial pig.
Sadly, it’s also the inevitable outcome of having to maintain the fiction that there’s no primary aggressor behind the mess.
There’s no elegant tap dance out of that diplomatic quandary. Ramaphosa’s “silent diplomacy” is working out as well for him as did Thabo Mbeki’s on Zimbabwe.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
EDITORIAL: Cyril’s wilful blindness
It must be a little awkward, attending a G7 meeting while holding a supposedly neutral position on the invasion of Ukraine, only to have your Russian friends drop missiles on that most civilian of targets: a crowded shopping centre.
It’s presumably a sort of discomfort President Cyril Ramaphosa is becoming fast accustomed to, as he turns a blind eye to Vladimir Putin’s gross violations of both international and humanitarian law.
Even so, it’s deeply disingenuous — not to mention tone deaf — to then speak about the “silver lining” of the devastating conflict, which, he said, is that it could force African countries to become more self-sufficient.
Few would argue the continent couldn’t do with a buffer against the vagaries of global supply chains. But if this is your takeaway — rather than an illegitimate war that has pushed food security to the top of Africa’s agenda — that’s slathering lipstick all over the proverbial pig.
Sadly, it’s also the inevitable outcome of having to maintain the fiction that there’s no primary aggressor behind the mess.
There’s no elegant tap dance out of that diplomatic quandary. Ramaphosa’s “silent diplomacy” is working out as well for him as did Thabo Mbeki’s on Zimbabwe.
read more:
Ukraine foreign minister woos African support
SA benefits as investors steer clear of pariah Russia
German chancellor understands SA’s stance on Russia, says Ramaphosa
STEVEN KUO: The SA government, lacking leadership, has slighted the Ukrainian ambassador
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