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South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA), the former opposition party now in power, on Wednesday rejected President Cyril Ramaphosa’s comments that Russia is a “valued ally”.
Ramaphosa traveled to Russia this week for the BRICS summit in Kazan and met with Putin, whom he called a "friend", a term rejected by the DA.
“The Democratic Alliance does not consider Russia or Vladimir Putin to be our allies,” party leader John Steenhuisen said in a statement.
He said the position expressed on behalf of the 10-party coalition Government of National Unity “needs to undergo full and appropriate discussion within the government structure before being announced.”
The African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid 30 years ago, lost its majority in May’s general election and was forced to form a coalition.
The DA has long been a critic of the ANC, but is now the second party in government and often takes opposing views on foreign policy issues.
Mr Steenhuisen, who was appointed agriculture minister, said the government “cannot afford to make statements that would jeopardize international relations and trade opportunities”.
“We cannot and will not consent to South Africa considering as an ally an authoritarian regime that is currently in violation of international law by waging an imperialist war of aggression against a sovereign nation,” he said. .
In a bilateral meeting with President Ramaphosa, President Putin said that relations between Russia and South Africa are based on “strategic partnership, equality and mutual respect.”
The BRICS summit will be held as the Russian leader aims to build an alliance of nations aimed at challenging what he calls Western “hegemony.”
South Africa abstained from a UN resolution condemning Russia’s military attack on Ukraine in February 2022, but spearheaded an African “peace mission” to both countries last year to call for an end to the conflict.
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