President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for greater African unity as global geopolitical dynamics evolve, warning against a new form of economic colonialism targeting the continent’s resources.
Speaking to SABC News on the sidelines of the African Union annual summit in Addis Ababa, Ramaphosa responded to recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a security conference in Munich, Germany, in which Rubio was seen as indirectly endorsing imperialist policies.
“What we should be avoiding is a new form of colonialism where those economies now begin to target the minerals they covet,” Ramaphosa said. “It is now time for Africa to do business on its own terms. It should no longer be a case where rock, soil and dust are exported out of Africa.”
AU Reforms
The President stressed that reforms within the African Union are critical to strengthening the effectiveness of the continental body. He highlighted that institutional change is an ongoing process, requiring time, commitment, and persistence.
“Institutional reforms are not an event, they are a process. Sometimes there are detours, stops and starts, but the important thing is that the reform process in the AU is moving forward,” he said. “Various heads of state are committed to ensuring that these reforms proceed, so the AU can become much more effective.”
Conflict Resolution in Africa
Ramaphosa also urged the AU to take decisive action on conflicts across the continent, including in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. As Chair of the AU committee supporting South Sudan, he emphasized efforts to resolve political challenges and facilitate democratic elections later this year.
“The countries such as South Sudan, Sudan and the DRC are facing enormous challenges,” Ramaphosa said. “The C5 committee of the AU, supported by IGAD, has recently met and made decisions we believe will move these countries forward. It has been agreed that elections in South Sudan should proceed.”