Cyril Ramaphosa and Joe Biden had a conversation
On Friday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa talked by phone with US President Joe Biden, a day after the African giant declined to vote on a move to exclude Russia from a UN rights committee over its aggression in Ukraine.
Ramaphosa, whose government has been slammed for failing to condemn Moscow’s deadly involvement, had already criticised the UN Security Council as “outdated” and in serious need of change the day before.
South Africa was one of 58 countries who voted no on the United Nations General Assembly resolution suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council in response for its invasion of Ukraine.
South Africa abstained from voting on war-related topics for the third time.
In a tweet on Friday, Ramaphosa claimed he had a “productive” phone conversation with Biden.
“We talked about the situation in Ukraine and agreed that a cease-fire and dialogue between Ukraine and Russia are critical,” Ramaphosa stated.
Biden “emphasised the strength of bilateral collaboration, as well as global issues brought on by Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine,” according to a White House account of the meeting.
“The imperative for a robust, coordinated international response to Russian aggression in Ukraine,” the American president said in a statement.
The call to Ramaphosa was reportedly initiated by Biden, according to local media.
Russia’s high-profile reprimand at the United Nations was just the second time a country has been barred from the UN’s human rights council; Libya was the first, in 2011.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa lambasted the United Nations Security Council for letting powerful governments to make sometimes unwise decisions.
“The United Nations Security Council’s current makeup is out of date and unrepresentative,” he said. “It hurts the economics of poor countries.”
South Africa has maintained a non-aligned stance on the Ukrainian war, pushing conversation as the best option for ending the conflict, despite international outrage and condemnation.
