Lamola says South Africa’s foreign relations remain resilient, with progress in G20 talks and continued engagement with the US and African conflicts.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola says that despite existing challenges, South Africa maintains robust and cordial relations with key global partners.
The minister said that engagements with the United States (US) continue at the highest level. This includes a recent teleconference between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Donald Trump.
“While discussions on issues such as the 30% unilateral trade tariffs imposed by the US highlight areas of concern, the bilateral relationship remains resilient,” he said.
SA-US engagements continue – Lamola
Lamola said this on Wednesday afternoon during a media briefing on South Africa’s foreign policy engagements and diplomatic achievements.
The US Congressional staff delegation will visit South Africa later in the week.
The minister reiterated that allegations of state-sponsored human rights violations contained in the latest US Human Rights 2024 report are not factual, as highlighted previously in the South African Police Services (Saps) official statistics on rural safety.
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Official statistics show that farming communities reported six murder cases between January and March 2025. The victims include employees, farm dwellers and farmers.
“These figures underscore that violent crime in rural areas affects everyone who lives and works on farms and related rural areas,” he said.
“While the loss of any life is a tragedy, these statistics do not reveal a pattern of action driven by inflammatory racial rhetoric against a specific community.”
G20 preparations
Meanwhile, South Africa’s G20 presidency has entered its final phase. Lamola said the government is making significant progress in both the Sherpa and Finance tracks.
The minister added that preparations for the G20 Leaders Summit are underway, with negotiations for working group ministerial meetings setting the tone for discussions.
“These final months of South Africa’s G20 Presidency will be crucial in ensuring a successful Leaders’ Summit where the G20 can commit to collective solutions for shared global challenges,” he said.
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Watch Lamola brief the media on international developments here:
He stressed that South Africa will continue engaging with the G20, with or without Trump.
“The US government is invited to the G20, and President Trump is welcome to the G20, but it’s the US government’s decision on who they want to participate. If President Trump wants to send someone else, it’s his decision,” the minister said.
DRC and Sudan
In the African region, the minister said South Africa remains concerned about the humanitarian and security situations in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Despite peace deals, fighting between the M23 rebel group and the DRC armed forces persists.
Lamola said South Africa continues to contribute military personnel and equipment to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
He also highlighted the conflict in Sudan, with a call for an unconditional cessation of hostilities to address the humanitarian crisis.
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In terms of the Middle East, the South African government has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where the situation is dire.
“The continued killing of Palestinians has risen exponentially, and we maintain that a ceasefire is necessary to halt the humanitarian crisis,” the minister said.
Lamola said South Africa’s efforts to implement a ceasefire in the International Court of Justice have been unsuccessful.
‘Ceasefire is necessary’ in Gaza
This is confirmed in a joint report by four United Nations agencies that a failure to implement the provisional measures has led to a man-made famine.
“The means necessary to sustain life in Gaza is being destroyed, which is further evidence of genocidal intent,” he said.
“We reiterate our call for the release of all hostages and political prisoners on both sides.”
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