Tag: Cyril Ramaphosa

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PM Modi Congratulates Ramaphosa on Re-election

Johannesburg: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 25, 2018. (Photo: IANS/MEA)

PM Modi has indicated the need for further collaboration between the two countries…reports Asian Lite News

Ramaphosa, leader of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, was elected during the First Sitting of the National Assembly of the 7th Parliament in Cape Town on June 15.

He will be sworn in by the country’s Chief Justice during the Presidential Inauguration scheduled to be held on June 19 at the Union Buildings in Tshwane under the theme ’30 years of Democracy; Partnership and Growth’.

“Warm congratulations, Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa on your re-election as the President of the Republic of South Africa. I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the India-South Africa strategic partnership,” PM Modi said in his congratulatory message to Ramaphosa on X.

The Presidential Inauguration follows the first sitting of the National Assembly of the Parliament and marks the beginning of the seventh administration and the President’s term of office.

India’s G20 Presidency last year had the largest-ever representation from Africa, including from South Africa (G20 member), Mauritius, Egypt, Nigeria, African Union (AU) Chair – Comoros, and African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD).

Both India and South Africa are also key members of the BRICS grouping.

PM Modi has indicated the need for further collaboration between the two countries in various areas, including the gems and jewelry sector citing that both countries could explore avenues for direct procurement of diamonds.

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‘BRICS Trade and Investment Vital for Global Economic Growth’

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.(Photo: twitter.com/PresidencyZA)

BRICS countries make up a quarter of the global economy, a fifth of global trade and more than 40 percent of the world’s population…reports Asian Lite News

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned against “the new wave of protectionism and the subsequent impact of unilateral measures” and called for “transparency and inclusiveness” to safeguard economic growth.

BRICS economies have “emerged as powerful engines of global growth,” and “the changes that have taken place in BRICS economies over the past decade have done much to transform the shape of the global economy,” Ramaphosa said while addressing the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue here, Xinhua news agency reported.

The BRICS countries make up a quarter of the global economy, a fifth of global trade and more than 40 percent of the world’s population, while trade between BRICS countries totaled some 162 billion US dollars in 2022, he said, stressing the important role of foreign investment in the growth of BRICS economies.

“However, the new wave of protectionism and the subsequent impact of unilateral measures that are incompatible with WTO rules undermine global economic growth and development,” he warned.

“We therefore need to reaffirm our position that economic growth must be underpinned by transparency and inclusiveness. It must be compatible with a multilateral trading system that supports a developmental agenda,” he said.

He also called for “a fundamental reform of the global financial institutions so that they can be more agile and responsive to the challenges facing developing economies, hailing the New Development Bank established by BRICS countries in 2015 for having demonstrated ability to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging economies without conditionalities.

Noting that the rapid economic, technological and social changes underway create new risks for employment, equality and poverty in many BRICS countries, he called on the business community “to join hands with us to identify solutions to these and other challenges affecting our respective economies.”

The president also invited BRICS countries to invest in Africa, which will be positioned as “the next frontier of productivity and growth” with its rich critical minerals and massive untapped potential for investment in infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, new energy, the digital economy as well as in skills development, small and medium enterprises, and others.

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Cyril Ramaphosa faces impeachment threat

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.(Photo: twitter.com/PresidencyZA)

He said that some $580,000 which had been paid in cash for buffalo was stolen from under sofa cushions in the farmhouse…reports Asian Lite News

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces an imminent threat of impeachment after he was accused of covering up a $4 million theft from his farm in 2020, including kidnapping and bribing the burglars, the media reported.

But he has denied the accusation, reports the BBC.

The scandal erupted in June, when a former South African intelligence chief, Arthur Fraser, filed a complaint accusing Ramaphosa of hiding the theft from his Phala Phala farm in the north-east of the country in 2020.

In his complaint, Fraser alleged that the money could have been the proceeds of money-laundering and corruption, and accused Ramaphosa of kidnapping and bribing the burglars.

But in his defence, Ramaphosa did acknowledge that the theft had taken place but said the stolen amount was less than that alleged, and denied attempting to cover it up.

He said that some $580,000 which had been paid in cash for buffalo was stolen from under sofa cushions in the farmhouse.

Meanwhile, an independent panel has found that Ramaphosa abused his position and may have broken an anti-corruption law, while terming the development a “very serious matter”.

The panel’s findings have been handed to Parliament, which is set to examine and decide whether or not to launch impeachment proceedings against the President next week.

The development comes ahead of a conference which will decide if Ramaphosa can run for a second term with his party, the African National Congress (ANC), in 2024.

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