On Tuesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to receive a delegation led by the heads of state of Zambia, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Uganda, Egypt, and South Africa. This announcement comes at a time when relations between Pretoria and Washington are strained due to statements by the US ambassador, who accused South Africa of supplying arms to Russia, and while the commander of South African ground forces is on an official visit to Moscow.
President Ramaphosa stated, “The two leaders I have spoken to, President Putin and President Zelensky, have agreed to receive a mission of these African heads of state in Moscow and Kyiv.” This project has been under discussion for several weeks and gained momentum when the South African president met with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts last weekend. According to Ramaphosa, both sides have agreed to the peace mission’s visit, and he now expects the trip to take place “as soon as possible.” However, details are still being discussed, including the order in which the leaders will be received.
The Brazzaville Foundation, which is overseeing the project, has selected the six countries to represent different views of the continent on the conflict. Countries such as South Africa and Uganda defend their ties with Russia, while others, such as Zambia and Egypt, voted in favor of the withdrawal of Russian troops in the last UN resolution.
Ramaphosa also mentioned that UN Secretary General António Guterres has welcomed this initiative. It is not surprising that South Africa has committed to this project, as President Ramaphosa has always advocated dialogue and a negotiated solution for peace rather than taking sides. According to Pretoria, both the UN Secretary General and the African Union have favorably endorsed this initiative.