While the media glare is on the Russia-Ukraine war - the genocide in Palestine, the conflict in Sudan, the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and conflicts in the Sahel are as good as footnotes.
These are the comments from the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who expressed concern that not enough attention is being given to conflicts in Africa.
“We must take up our responsibility as Africans to help end these wars. We should work with external and international friends who act bona fide to end the war. Admittedly, this is not easy.
“The presence of unconventional participants on both sides, including mercenaries, foreign volunteers, special forces, and paramilitary squads, has made Africa a place for proxy wars,” he said of Friday.
Lamola delivered a keynote address at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) Conference in Sandton.
The Minister used his platform to reiterate South Africa’s commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security, promotion of human rights and sustainable development.
He said he was concerned that it was now easier to fund wars than to support development, adding that economic, financial, and cyber warfare, as well as artificial intelligence, have been “weaponised” and used on a large scale.
Lamola told delegates that the world was in a “grievous interregnum, and transitioning to the new is that dangerous”.
“We are experiencing a proverbial ‘crisis moment’ in world affairs, which could easily become a ‘moment of calamity’.
“In this dangerous geopolitical moment, the champions of the liberal international order generally refuse to accept any notions of decline and would resist any attempt to emerge an alternative, least of all one from the Global South.”
Meanwhile, he stressed that geopolitical rivalry over people’s suffering was serious.
“This is most evident in Sudan, where the conflict has created a humanitarian catastrophe unlike any other.”
However, he believes that South Africa’s elections beckons hope for democracy and that the way the Government of National Unity (GNU) was formed is a model for democracy worldwide.
“There comes a time when it is not absolute power that defines us but our collective ability to resolve our challenges and build a foundation of new frontiers for future generations.”
Middle East
The Minister is of the view that the world is witnessing the making of a post-Cold War, with all the hallmarks that it could become an “unimaginable hot war”, with the Middle East as its centre point.
“Turbulence, anarchy and combustion are the order of the day.”
He believes that the Middle East crisis is becoming a proverbial shift in the global balance of power in front of our very eyes.
“What started as plausible evidence of ‘genocide against the people of Palestine’ is now transforming into a real regional war that will have long-lasting ramifications for global peace and the economy and Africa in particular.”
Lamola pointed out that those who were once at the heart of multilateral order are now at the forefront of undermining them.
These, he said, include strategic pillars such as the Bretton Woods Institutions, the United Nations, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
“Imagine what the reaction of the world would be if an African State declared the United Nations Secretary-General a persona non grata like Israel did.”
This is after Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced on X that he had declared the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, persona non grata or banned from setting foot in Israel.
“[The] Russia-Ukraine war, the genocide against Palestinians, trade wars that result in greater challenges in the global economy, and wars raging in Africa, with our continent becoming the theatre for proxy battles, all point to this moment of deep global crisis.”
He said BRICS was determined to play this counter-balancing role for the development of the Global South.
BRICS originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It has since expanded to include Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and others.
“After the 2023 expansion, especially to members from the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region, BRICS is a real force to be reckoned with.
“We will ensure that it does not take its eyes off the peaceful settlement of disputes, the transformation of global multilateral institutions, development finance, and the agitation for a more equitable global order.” – SAnews.gov.za
