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South African President Ramaphosa holds talks with Zelensky to discuss Russian invasion

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday, said he had held talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the ongoing conflict in the country following the invasion of Russia.

Ramaphosa who has faced fierce criticism from world leaders for refusing to condemn Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, announced on Twitter that he had a long phone conversation with Zelenskyy “to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and its tragic human cost, as well its global ramifications.”

“We agreed on the need for a negotiated end to the conflict which has impacted Ukraine’s place in global supply chains, including its position as a major exporter of food to our continent,” Ramaphosa tweeted.

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, South Africa, like many other African countries, have maintained a grave silence and a non-aligned stance.

Despite calls for South Africa to come out with a position, Ramaphosa has continued to maintain that negotiations are the best option to end the conflict with the country abstaining from voting in two high-profile UN rebukes of Russia.

Dozens of other African countries have also steered clear of voting against Russia at the UN but with the call to the embattled Zelenskyy,
Ramaphosa believes the Ukrainian President “anticipates closer relations with Africa in future.”

Zelensky had two weeks ago, asked to address the African Union to seek for its support in the ongoing war, according to the AU’s current head, Senegalese President Macky Sall.

Politics

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

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Kenya’s President William Ruto wants the United Nations Security Council to officially support the mission to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti.

Kenya, an East African powerhouse, is active in Haiti, and recently announced it was ready to be part of a multinational force. It committed to deploy 1,000 police officers to the country and  “accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti.”

Ruto, during his address, insisted that the Caribbean country “deserves better from the world.” “Kenya is ready to play its part in full, and join with a coalition of other nations of goodwill – and there are many— as a great friend and true sibling of Haiti,” Ruto said while addressing world leaders.

Haiti begged for assistance last year to fight off vicious gangs that had largely taken over the city of Port-au-Prince.

According to diplomats, the council might vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing the deployment of international police as early as next week.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by U.N. police, which left in 2019.

Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January and countries across the world have been cautious about supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry who has argued that fair elections cannot be held with the current insecurity.

Violent crimes, including kidnappings for ransom, armed robberies, and carjacking are prevalent in the country.

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Politics

Sudan: One country, two UNGA addresses, as armed factions stake claim

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The ongoing civil war in Sudan played out on the global scene at the United Nations General Assembly as heads of rival military factions gave competing addresses at the world meeting on Thursday.

Clashes between the army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s transitional government’s Sovereign Council, and army troops loyal to General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the council’s deputy leader who controls the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have led to the destruction of facilities.

The conflict, which broke out in Khartoum in mid-April and extended to other regions of the country, including the western area of Darfur, displacing more than 5 million people and posing a threat to the region’s stability, was blamed on both sides.

Army chief, al-Burhan urged the international community to label the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organisation and to take action against its financiers outside of Sudan’s borders while speaking from the stage at UN headquarters in New York.

On the other hand, RSF leader, Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in a rare video recording from an undisclosed location, said that his forces were fully prepared for a ceasefire and comprehensive political talks to end the conflict. Hemedti has primarily communicated recently through audio messages, and his whereabouts have been a subject of conjecture.

“Today we renew our commitment to the peaceful process to put a halt to this war,” Hemedti said. “The RSF are fully prepared for a ceasefire throughout Sudan to allow the passage of humanitarian aid … and to start serious and comprehensive political talks.”

Repeated declarations of a ceasefire by both the army and the RSF, as well as claims that they are looking for a resolution to the war have not been able to halt the carnage and the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

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