Politics

Ramaphosa Believes SA and Kenya Should Partner in Trade Agreement, Calls for End to Ethiopian War

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 6:09 PM by Claudia Gross

President Uhuru Kenyatta is in South Africa on a state visit from Kenya and is being hosted by President Ramaphosa
In his opening remarks at the Union Buildings today Ramaphosa urged more intra-Africa trade, as the figure is currently low
Ramaphosa also called for war-torn Ethiopia to enact a ceasefire to stop the escalating humanitarian crisis which has ensued

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PRETORIA - Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, has made his state visit to South Africa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Kenyatta is being hosted by President Ramaphosa, who, during his opening remarks today, said that the two countries should work together.

Intra-European trade is 60%, while intra-Africa trade is only 15%. Ramaphosa hopes that South Africa and Kenya can work towards raising this figure and that more African countries will trade with one another.

Call for Ethiopian ceasefire

During his speech, Ramaphosa touched on the ongoing war in Ethiopia and urged Kenyatta to join him in calling for a ceasefire. Kenyatta was on board with this idea, Power FM reports.

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Ramaphosa told Kenyatta that he is grateful for Kenya and South Africa's cordial relationship. He stressed that the two countries need to continue their mission of improving the African continent.

“For this, we remain eternally grateful to the people of Kenya. Solidarity, mutual respect and a common vision of a better Africa and a better world form the foundation of our relations today and into the future," Ramaphosa said.

Reactions to Ramaphosa's statement

@VusiSambo believes:

"Incidentally, Kenya is also another corruption cesspool. Although they’ll have to do more to catch up and be truly like us."

@Alisze_ZA said:

"Pan Africanism must always be orderly, and must not be at the expense of the other country - South Africa being a good case in example where all of Africa is migrating to' looking at the illegal immigration crises allowed by your presidency @PresidencyZA and party @MYANC."

@InnoDlams shared:

"So, basically congratulating them for doing what they should do anyway...accept defeat after losing."

Dali Mpofu shades President Cyril Ramaphosa

Earlier Briefly News reported that The African National Congress's major loss of two metropolitan municipalities in the Gauteng province has brought some amusement to Advocate Dali Mpofu.

Mpofu, who is also the former chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters as well as one of the party's senior officials who led coalition talks, headed to social media to taunt the ruling party and its leader as they deal with the losses.