Ramaphosa said it was important to "exert pressure and expose violations whenever and by whomever they are committed.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says international law can’t be selectively applied. Picture: GCIS.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says international law can’t be selectively applied, citing atrocities against the people of Gaza in Palestine and Sudan, as well as an “illegal war” against Iran, warning against the selective application of international law.
The president addressed the BRICS summit in India on Saturday, 13 September 2026.
Global conflicts
The Brics Summit comes amid the broader global economic effects of the US-Iran conflict, which has fuelled an energy crisis and raised concerns about energy security, trade, and inflation.
His statement forms part of a broader push by South Africa to position itself as a leading voice for the Global South by demanding consistency in global governance and the international rules-based system.
Pressure
Ramaphosa said it was important to “exert pressure and expose violations whenever and by whomever they are committed”.
“To give strength to the law, there must be accountability for atrocities, for the ongoing genocide against the people of Palestine, for the crimes committed against the people of the Sudan, and for the illegal war against Iran.”
“We must exert pressure and expose violations whenever and by whomever they are committed. International law cannot be applied selectively,” he said.
“The same principles must apply to all states and the same protections must apply to all peoples.”
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Ramaphosa linked this position to South Africa’s decision to approach international judicial institutions over Palestine.
South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice in December 2023, accusing it of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in Gaza. Israel denies the allegation.
Israel denials
The ICJ has not yet delivered a final ruling, but its provisional measures are designed to prevent irreparable harm before judgment.
Israel has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide, insisting its military operations are acts of self‑defence following the 7 October 2023 attacks.
In August, South Africa accused Israel of breaking legally binding orders issued by the ICJ intended to protect Palestinians in Gaza, while calling on the international community “to take all necessary action to prevent and punish genocide”.
The ICJ ruled that Palestinians in Gaza face an imminent risk of genocide, issuing three binding provisional measures against Israel.
UN charter
During his address to the session on global governance and multilateralism on Saturday, Ramaphosa also noted that “overt violations of the UN Charter and the resort to war to settle differences between states” are threatening the UN’s relevance and the durability of the multilateral system.
“The United Nations has endured the Cold War and many other challenges while largely upholding its mandate to maintain global peace and security.
“Yet, the relevance of the United Nations and the durability of multilateralism are now threatened by overt violations of the UN Charter and the resort to war to settle differences between Member States,” Ramaphosa said.
Voice of Africa
Ramaphosa said that, as Brics members, they must ensure that the “voices of Africa and the Global South are fully reflected in shaping the future international order.”
