PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa wants Mzansi to believe his Peace Mission to Ukraine and Russian was not in vain!
This in spite of more than 100 security personnel and about 20 journalists being stranded at Warsaw's Chopin Airport in Poland for 24 hours.
Ramaphosa met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital in Kyiv on Friday, 16 June and with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday, 17 June.
He said both presidents agreed to further engagements and showed willingness to end the war.
”One of the key achievements of the Peace Mission was the positive reception we received from both sides, which we found encouraging and which provides cause for optimism that the proposals will be given consideration,” said Ramaphosa.
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He was accompanied by the presidents of Senegal, the Comoros, Zambia and Egypt, as well as envoys from the Republic of Congo and Uganda.
He said they presented a 10-point proposal that African leaders believe could contribute to efforts that have been made by various parties to bring the conflict to an end.
“Included in the proposal being put forward as part of the African Peace Initiative are calls for a de-escalation of fighting and for negotiations to commence with urgency; for the release of prisoners of war and return of children; for greater humanitarian support; and for reconstruction efforts to be prioritized,” said Ramaphosa.
He said they highlighted the urgent need that the security of both nations should be guaranteed.
The president said there was a misconception that conflict was far-removed from the realities of South Africa. It was having a very real effect on African countries and economies.
"As African leaders, our primary concern is for the lives of the people directly affected by the conflict. We believe that everything should be done to end the fighting to prevent further loss of life, injury, displacement and destruction. As the international community we need to work together to prevent any further suffering," said Ramaphosa.
He said that both Russia and Ukraine are major suppliers of grains and producers of fertiliser destined for African markets.
He said according to the African Development Bank, the conflict has “triggered a shortage of about 30 million tonnes of grains on the African continent, along with a sharp increase in cost".
“As a result of this conflict African countries are negatively affected by the rising costs of food and energy,” said Ramaphosa.
The president said supply chain disruptions have caused a shortage of farming inputs such as fertilisers threatening the food security of a number of African countries.
