Mashatile: Peace mission to Russia, Ukraine will prove successful
ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile believes those who have rushed to discredit the recent African Peace Mission to Russia and Ukraine will have to eat their words.
Several African leaders - led by President Cyril Ramaphosa - met Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in June, before heading to Moscow to see Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The trip came amid increased international pressure on South Africa's non-aligned stance on the war between the two countries.
On Tuesday, Mashatile used his opening address at the BRICS Political Parties Forum in Ekurhuleni to question critics who claim the mission was unsuccessful.
The forum, which is part of the country’s preparations to host the BRICS annual summit in August, is being attended by the ruling parties of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Mashatile says the ANC fully supports the peace mission and is confident it will be a success
“We note that cynics have rushed to impose a death sentence on the African effort by describing it prematurely as a failure. It is difficult to understand how these doomsayers expected that a solution to the conflict would have been sought and found after just one meeting.
“Nevertheless, we are confident that the African Peace Initiative, as led by President Ramaphosa, will ultimately succeed. We are keenly aware that a solution will not be found overnight. The ANC also believes that through inclusive multilateralism of the type with which all BRICS members would, in principle, be aligned, involve the reforms of institutions of global governance, especially the UN Security Council.”
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