South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has told delegates at the78th United Nations General Assembly gathered in NewYork that Africa needed to set its own agenda.
He joins a diverse gathering of world leaders amid heightened anticipation for global challenges and cooperation discussions.
WATCH: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives in New York
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‘Africa justified in seeking self-reliance’
Ramaphosa praised Africa’s efforts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa emerged as a leader in genomic surveillance. On two occasions, we were the first to alert the world to new COVID-19 variants,” he said.
Africa experiences over 100 infectious disease outbreaks annually, most of which are contained within the continent.
“The relative success of Africa’s COVID-19 Response Strategy should be studied and documented,” said Ramaphosa.
He also emphasised the need for robust primary health care systems, real-time surveillance, a capable workforce, equitable access to medical countermeasures, and predictable financing for PPPR.
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Trade and investment
Ramaphosa, acknowledging the global challenges that business leaders face, said newer growth strategies should centre around climate change, technological innovation, and complex geopolitics as critical factors shaping business strategies.
He emphasised the importance of multilateralism in addressing global challenges and advocated for dialogue and economic engagement between nations.
Ramaphosa outlined South Africa’s ambitious trade and investment agenda. This includes the imminent launch of trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), efforts to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), trade agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom, and expanding trade links with various regions and countries.
Ramaphosa meets Klaus Schwab
Ramaphosa also hosted several bilateral meetings with key figures, including Professor Klaus Schwab, CEO of the World Economic Forum.
During the meeting, US Congressman Gregory Meeks stressed the importance of US-South Africa cooperation on global issues.
Meeks was referring to South Africa’s neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He also had bilateral discussions with the President of Nigeria, focusing on trade, diplomatic ties, and the security situation in West Africa.
