Africa-Press – South-Africa. South Africa’s non-aligned position on the war between Russia and Ukraine does not mean the government condones Russia’s actions.
This is according to International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor, who believes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused tectonic shifts in global affairs.
She was responding to a written parliamentary question from DA MP Darren Bergman, who wanted details on whether the government considers the war in Ukraine as a war crime.
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Pandor said South Africa has always opposed violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of United Nations (UN) member states.
She also said the government remains deeply concerned about the continuing conflict, the loss of life, and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Pandor said:
“There needs to be consistency in the approach of the international community to countries that violate international law,” she added.
Furthermore, Pandor said there is an urgent need to cease hostilities, which would be the first step in a comprehensive response to the humanitarian crisis.
South Africa’s position on the war in Ukraine has remained non-aligned, and it has been argued that dialogue, mediation, and diplomacy are the only means to end the conflict.
“We are witnessing tectonic shifts in global affairs, particularly since the Russian Federation started using force without sanction by the United Nations (UN) Security Council in Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Global power relations are being realigned in response to the war, and there is volatility in the global economy.
“These have had a direct impact on South Africa and the developing world. South Africa, countries on the African continent, and several other members of the Global South [who] are affected by the conflict, have sought to assert their independence, [and] non-aligned views on the matter,” she said.
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Pandor also said the government has resisted becoming embroiled in the politics of confrontation and aggression advocated by the powerful countries.
“Instead, we have promoted peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and negotiation. As we stated in the United Nations General Assembly, wars end when dialogue begins, and wars endure when there is no dialogue,” she said.
Pandor also said the world had witnessed the willful targeting and killing of journalists and other civilians in Palestine, where there is little or no international outrage.
“The same applies in Somalia and other ongoing conflicts in places such as Yemen and Afghanistan. Over three million civilians have been killed in Iraq since the Coalition of the Willing waged an illegal invasion. South Africa believes that wars have no winners and that all international disagreements must be solved through dialogue and negotiation.
“In the unfortunate instances where wars do take place, South Africa believes that they are conducted within the confines of the laws of war and, more importantly, that all efforts should be made to end the use of force so that negotiations towards lasting peace can commence,” she said.
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