South Africa Lauds Diplomatic Ties With Germany

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The South African Government has applauded its bilateral relations with Germany, describing it as a very important strategic partnership.

South Africa Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, Naledi Pandor gave the commendation at 11th edition of the German-South African Binational Commission Pretoria on Tuesday.

German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock and Pandor co-chaired the meeting. Her South African counterpart had greeted Baerbock warmly with a smile and kisses on both cheeks.

Germany and South Africa want to expand their bi-lateral cooperation, for example in the fight against climate change, despite differences of opinion on how to deal with Russia.

The minister stressed the importance of the relations between the two countries and also addressed, among other things, cooperation at the economic level, in tourism and in the fight against climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are faced with different and yet equally serious global challenges in Africa and elsewhere in the world, including in Europe, where the war in Ukraine has had global ramifications”, she said.

Meanwhile, Germany has been critical of South Africa’s failure to clearly condemn the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. South Africa declares itself neutral in the conflict.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was recently in Russia and Ukraine with an African delegation for mediation efforts, but without any apparent success.

Baerbock thanked Ramaphosa for his support of the UN Charter in his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.

The Russian war was “an attack on the UN Charter and on the very rules that bind and protect us all”, she further stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend a summit of the BRICS countries – Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa – in South Africa on August 22-24, along with the heads of state of the other nations.

As the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an international warrant for Putin’s arrest on war crimes charges, and as South Africa is a party to the ICC statute, he could face arrest. South Africa has not made its position clear.

During her visit, Baerbock is also scheduled to attend a meeting of a bilateral commission set up by Germany and South Africa in 1996, which meets every two years. Green hydrogen and skills training are on the agenda.