Minister Naledi Pandor with Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi. Picture: Dirco
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor reiterated that South Africa was non-aligned in the conflict in Ukraine.
Pandor said South Africa would also seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and five heads of state from Africa in St Petersburg on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit last week where they continued with their discussions on the matter.
This was a follow-up to their first meeting in June when the African leaders met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and Putin in St Petersburg.
Pandor was meeting the Foreign Affairs Minister of Japan, Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday.
Pandor said she had a telephonic discussion with Hayashi in June, which culminated in his visit to South Africa.
The minister said Pretoria and Tokyo have strong relations.
She said South Africa would like to see an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
“Our country like Japan is a country committed to peace, peace on the continent and peace worldwide. We would continue our efforts to seek peace with regard to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Our country remains non-aligned in this conflict as we regard all wars as wars that we should not take sides on,” said Pandor.
She added that they were talking to Russia to open the Black Sea for the export of grain deal to various parts of the world.
This was the point raised by Ramaphosa during a meeting with Putin.
Pandor also called for the reform of the UN Security Council.
A few months ago Ramaphosa appointed Pandor, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni to meet with G7 nations to explain South Africa’s non-aligned position.
Japan is one of the G7 nations and the others are the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany and Italy.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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