President Ramaphosa condemns rising military spending.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the reform of multilateral trade and for a coercive approach in world trade to stop.
He said nations should rather affirm the World Trade Organisation as a capable sole global body to manage and resolve trade differences among nations.
Warning against trade volatility and geopolitical shocks
Ramaphosa, who was addressing the opening session of the 80th UN General Assembly debate high-level segment, said it was concerning that geopolitical shocks and unprecedented trade policy volatility were destabilising the global economy and jeopardising critical development financing sources.
He took a veiled swipe at US President Donald Trump’s inward-looking trade policy approach and America’s decades-long economic blockade of Cuba.
“Unilateral trade practices and economic coercion have a detrimental impact on many nations. This includes the economic embargo against Cuba, which has caused untold damage to the country’s economy over the years. That unfair embargo must be lifted,” Ramaphosa said.
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Criticism of US trade practices and the Cuban embargo
One US administration after another continued the Cuban economic embargo, which was initiated when the Cuban revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, announced that Cuba sided with the former Soviet Union in the Cold War.
The trade boycott continued even after Castro had died, and most countries wanted the embargo lifted.
Ramaphosa delivered his speech amid high-level talks between the US and South Africa over tariffs that Trump had imposed on the country and others.
“The multilateral trading systems need to be reformed as we reaffirm that the World Trade Organisation is the only multilateral body capable of managing differences and coordinating positions of global trade,” said Ramaphosa.
“Trade is one of the most important instruments to mobilise domestic resources for development.”
Ongoing US–South Africa trade negotiations
South Africa is negotiating a reduced figure on the 30% trade tariffs, with Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Parks Tau hoping for a breakthrough soon.
Tau hinted the trade deal might be signed in a few weeks’ time after the two sides had exchanged documents and responded accordingly.
Ramaphosa condemned the increase in global military expenditure while the world was falling behind on its core development promises.
“We are building weapons when we should be building social infrastructure,” he said.
“We are fighting wars that cause death and destruction when we should be fighting poverty and developing the livelihoods of vulnerable people.
“We must act decisively to silence all guns, everywhere, to realise the goal of sustainable development and global peace.”
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Failures of the UN Security Council
There was an increasing reliance on unilateral military action in contravention of international law.
The United Nations Security Council has proven to be ineffective in its current form and composition in carrying out its charter mandate to maintain international peace and security.
“South Africa remains deeply concerned by the erosion of the credibility of the Security Council and its failure to ensure accountability and uphold international law,” he said.
Call for accountability in global conflict zones
He highlighted it was a matter of grave concern that there were countries that continued to violate international law and defy UN resolutions and rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regard to Gaza, as well as the situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and elsewhere.
“Therefore, as nations, we have pledged to uphold the UN Charter. We have the ultimate responsibility to ensure and protect the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” said Ramaphosa.
“Consistent with the case that South Africa brought before the ICJ, there is a growing global consensus that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.”
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