Diplomacy: Acting US deputy state secretary Victoria Nuland says the fact that President Cyril Ramaphosa stood up to President Vladimir Putin about his war in Ukraine in his recent visit to Russia carried weight with Washington. Photo: Danil Shamkin/ Getty Images
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent statements during meetings with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin have helped to calm the waters in Washington, acting deputy secretary of state Victoria Nuland told the Mail & Guardian.
Nuland said that while she did not want to preempt the decision by US lawmakers on whether the African Growth and Opportunity Agreement (Agoa) would be retained, Ramaphosa’s statements to the Kremlin would help to motivate for an extension.
Agoa allows African countries, including South Africa, to export their products to the US free of tariffs.
“When South Africa stands up and says Russia’s war against Ukraine must be settled in the manner that defends the UN charter, that defends sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, that says ‘no’ to taking land by force. That has unique weight and valuable weight,” she said.
Ramaphosa has sent several envoys to Washington in the past few months to negotiate for South Africa to remain part of Agoa.
Recently, Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel travelled to the US in an attempt to ensure that the country remains eligible for preferential access to US markets.
Patel has previously told journalists that South Africa should do everything possible to stay in Agoa.
In June, US lawmakers put pressure on the White House to break ties with South Africa.
The US has been suspicious of South Africa’s non-aligned stance on the Russian war against Ukraine and secretary of state Antony Blinken’s office issued a subtle warning to Pretoria.
Nuland told the M&G that the US was very grateful that the Ramaphosa-led government was able to use its relationship with Putin “for broader global good”.
“Your historically close relationship with Russia allows President Ramaphosa and other members of this government to deliver messages to Putin at this time that are really important, which he may hear more clearly when it’s coming from South Africa [and] Brazil than when it comes from us.
“That is why, when he stood up in Saint Petersburg and said the Black Sea grain initiative must be renewed, that carried a huge amount of weight, and when he led other African leaders on a peace mission, first to Kyiv and then to Moscow, that carried a huge amount of weight.
“It says to Putin that this is not a little project just with Ukraine. It’s not a little project just with the transatlantic countries — the whole world is worried about this war and it has impacts in South Africa and everywhere else.
“That is very valuable to us — when a country like South Africa can give those strong messages,” she said.
During a peacekeeping mission of African leaders to meet Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ramaphosa told Putin that the war had to end. He said it was having a negative impact on the African continent and on many countries around the world.
Nuland acknowledged Agoa had been useful to the US as well as the African continent.
According to the US 2022 biennial report on the implementation of Agoa, total two-way goods trade with sub-Saharan Africa totalled $44.8 billion in 2021, a 21.8% increase from $36.7 billion in 2019.
The top American export markets in Africa in 2021 were South Africa, with $5.5 billion, and Nigeria, with $3.9 billion.
“In 2025, congress will make a decision about whether to extend it and who to extend it to. It’s also important for key beneficiaries of Agoa, South Africa included, to help us make the case to the US lawmakers why it’s important.
“We are not forcing countries to choose teams, we are looking to collaborate and partner on as many issues that matter to our citizens as possible — security issues, prosperity issues, transition to a clean green economy, preserving and defending democracy.”
Despite indications that US relations with South Africa had regressed under President Joe Biden’s administration, Nuland said this was not the case.
She said there was greater collaboration between the two countries under the US Working Group on African and Global Issues.
“It’s about the central role that South Africa is now playing, and President Ramaphosa is personally playing, in sending strong messages to Putin about his war in Ukraine, about the Black Sea grain initiative and its importance for Africa, about stolen children.
“That is one example of global co-operation that we have.
“I would say that we are also talking about the need for debt relief, particularly from China, for some of the poorest countries. We are talking about development and opening up in the form of the multilateral development banks,” she said, adding that the US would contribute over a billion dollars to the country’s just energy transition partnership.
However, a rift opened between the two countries when US ambassador Reuben Brigety unleashed a diplomatic storm by telling a media briefing that Washington had proof weapons were loaded onto a Russian cargo vessel, the Lady R, when it docked at the Simon’s Town naval base for four days in December.
Ramaphosa, wanting to limit the damage to relations with the US, appointed an independent panel, led by retired high court judge Phineas Mojapelo, to investigate the claims.
“We have serious concerns about what was on that ship and where it was going. South Africa is now doing its own investigation,” Nuland said.
The M&G recently reported the Mojapelo panel had completed its investigation and was drafting a report for Ramaphosa.