The Department of International Relations and Co-operation says it has noted a letter by four US Congress members to the (Joe) Biden administration to move the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) forum away from South Africa, but there is no decision on this.
Clayson Monyela, the spokesperson for the department, said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoys were in the US recently to explain the country’s position on the Ukraine conflict.
He also said South Africa’s diplomats in the US continued to handle these issues.
Ramaphosa also announced a few weeks ago that he was appointing Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel as special envoys to the G7 countries and they would visit these capitals to explain South Africa’s non-aligned position.
Patel also said last week he was in regular contact with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on these matters.
He said he last spoke to her two weeks ago.
Monyela’s comments came after US Congress members asked the US administration to move the Agoa forum away from South Africa because of its ties with Russia.
“We are seriously concerned that hosting the 2023 Agoa forum in South Africa would serve as an implicit endorsement of South Africa’s damaging support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and possible violation of US sanctions law. Further, these actions by South Africa call into question its eligibility for trade benefits under Agoa due to the statutory requirement that beneficiary countries ‘not engage in activities that undermine United States security or foreign policy interests’,” read part of the letter by the US lawmakers to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Tai.
But Monyela said they had noted the letter and there was no decision on this.
“This letter by the four US Congress members to secretary Blinken is noted. There is no decision by the State Department/White House to move the Agoa forum from SA. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoys recently visited the US to meet and explain South Africa’s active non-aligned position on the Russia/Ukraine conflict to key stakeholders and decision makers. Our diplomats in Washington continue to engage on these matters. Ramaphosa is leading an African peace mission (in the coming days) to Russia and Ukraine. South Africa enjoys the support of the US government, the Africa Group and business in hosting the Agoa forum which is planned for November. The relations between South Africa and the US are mutually beneficial even in the context of Agoa,” said Monyela.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Monday it would be unfair to start talking about the imposition of sanctions on South Africa because of its non-aligned position.
He said there was no evidence that points to the fact that South Africa would need to be sanctioned.
He said the country had not armed anyone in the conflict in Ukraine.
Magwenya said they had bilateral discussions with the US and there was no talk of sanctions.
He said Pretoria remained neutral in the Ukraine conflict.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Current Affairs