₦airaland Forum

A letter obtained by The New York Times states that South Africa’s government has deepened its relationship with Russia over the past year despite formally taking a neutral stance on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – making it necessary for the United States to take action.

According to the publication, both Democratic and Republican representatives in Washington have said that it is time South Africa faces consequences for its foreign policies. This follows the White House taking an extended ‘wait-and-see’ approach.

The letter, dated 9 June, written by the Congress of the United States addressed to the US Department of State Anthony Blinken, the National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan and the Ambassador of US Trade Katherine Tai, said that lawmakers are seriously concerned that hosting the 2023 AGOA Forum in South Africa would serve as an implicit endorsement of South Africa’s damaging support for Russia’s invasion and possible violation of US sanctions laws.

It highlighted the recent accusations that South Africa had supplied Russia with arms on the ‘Lady R’ vessel and cited the recent joint military exercises between Russia, China and South Africa as evidence for the African country’s close ties with Putin.

“Further, these actions by South Africa call into question its eligibility for trade benefits under AGOA due to the statutory requirement that beneficiary countries do not engage in activities that undermine United States national security or foreign policy interests,” stated the letter.

“While we understand that the AGOA eligibility review process for 2024 is underway and that decisions have not yet been made, we question whether a country in danger of losing AGOA benefits should have the privilege of hosting the 2023 AGOA Forum.”

“Our concerns are shared by many South African citizens and businesses, who are increasingly vocal about deteriorating conditions in the country.”

The letter added that if South Africa continues to demonstrate support for Russia and its unlawful invasion of Ukraine, then hosting the forum in another country in Sub-Saharan Africa would send a clear and important message of the US’s unshaken alliance with Ukraine – and that it will not accept trading partners provisions to aid Russia.

LOSING AGOA

AGOA refers to the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which grants duty-free treatment to goods in certain sub-Saharan African countries, including South Africa. Ultimately, the agreement offers duty-free access to the U.S. market for thousands of goods.

Losing AGOA benefits could lead to a loss in foreign trade advantages for South Africa. Under the Act, the president is granted the power to add or remove countries from AGOA, a process that is administered through the Office of the US Trade Representative.

The letter was signed off by Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as Senator Jim Risch, the leading Republican on the committee. Additionally, it was endorsed by the primary Republican and Democratic officials on the House’s foreign affairs committee.

Domestically, the ANC-led government has attempted to cool concern over international backlash to its stance on the war.

SA 'NOT ARMING' RUSSIA

South Africa has denied supplying Russia with weapons and is currently running an independent investigation into the allegations. The country has also insisted that it remains neutral on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Addressing the media in Pretoria on Monday, 12 June, Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for the presidency, said that suggestions that the country will be hit with international sanctions due to its non-aligned stances are reckless and damaging to its economy.

“There is no evidence whatsoever to point to any emergence of sanctions from any country or even the United Nations Security Council, which is the only authority to institute global sanctions.

“There is no such talk. As a government, we’ve had several bilateral discussions with the US government, and there has been no suggestion that the US will consider applying sanctions to South Africa,” Magwenya said.

Economists and researchers alike have raised alarm over the government’s close ties with Russia. Ndivhuho Netshitenzhe, an economist at Stanlib Asset Management, said that if geopolitical tensions were to escalate against the West – the country could be at risk of losing R612.7 billion in export revenue.

South Africa is largely reliant on exports to both the E.U. and the U.S. – making up a total of 30.4% of all exports – compared to Russia’s 0/23%.

US lawmakers are foolish.

GO SOUTY!!!

Noisemakers

Let US and South Africa initiate a 3 days war let me check something

Felabrity:
Noisemakers

Love South Africa foreign policy to the moon.
❤️

Tinubu should get our troops ready.

So every country must align with their proxy war in Ukraine? Shameless west!

igboarenice:
Love South Africa foreign policy to the moon.
❤️

they are the real giant of Africa

Felabrity:
they are the real giant of Africa

Even during the initial days Libya war it was south africa and probably mugabe that spoke up for the people that the US are killing the people. Nigeria kept quiet. Our own is to steal and invest the funds abroad.

OneCandleAway:
Even during the initial days Libya war it was south africa and probably mugabe that spoke up for the people that the US are killing the people. Nigeria kept quiet. Our own is to steal and invest the funds abroad.

SA sought an African solution to the Libyan crisis.

Machinegun91:
Let US and South Africa initiate a 3 days war let me check something

Atleast it will be a 3 day long war coz SA produces arms. Let's see if a US war with your country will even last an hour.

South Africa must know that Russia will not fully protect them incase they are sanctioned.

WannaHowzit:
SA sought an African solution to the Libyan crisis.

And now look at how the world is suffering from the after effects of Gaddafi and saddle hussein death. These men knew how to keep the crazy elements in their people in check. You might not like their methods but they keep their stubborn people on a leash.

Big shame.

Reasonable number of countries are fighting behind Ukraine but Russia was fighting alone.

Isn't it obvious if those mushrooms didn't support Ukraine, Russia would have desolated Ukraine.

Sore loser Usa and co wan dey shake yansh when they have been exposed to be weak.

How much billion of dollars ammunition did Usa forgone in Afghanistan?

Stop taking playing too far

Sanctions are not working...
See results in Russia, China, NK, Iran... You're rather making them align better with themselves... Yet the West doesn't see the Mobster they're creating... Moreover, who made u the Police of the World??

WannaHowzit:
Atleast it will be a 3 day long war coz SA produces arms. Let's see if a US war with your country will even last an hour.

South Africa had nuclear capabilities. It's military is highly ranked. A war against South Africa would be the end of the USA. South Africa is a member of BRICS.

It would be NATO vs BRICS.

America cannot attack South Africa physically. Worst case scenario= economic sanctions.

OneCandleAway:
And now look at how the world is suffering from the after effects of Gaddafi and saddle hussein death. These men knew how to keep the crazy elements in their people in check. You might not like their methods but they keep their stubborn people on a leash.

I'm not a fan of Gaddafi, Saddam or Mugabe but these sort of upheavals have to be handled wisely. Like how SA itself avoided a racial bloodbath leading to democracy.

WannaHowzit:
Atleast it will be a 3 day long war coz SA produces arms. Let's see if a US war with your country will even last an hour.

lol, they produce arms for xenophobia and not to fight with US. Bunch of lazy creatures

Machinegun91:
lol, they produce arms for xenophobia and not to fight with US. Bunch of lazy creatures

Produce weapons to vaporize all the poop lining your city streets.

magabounce:
Sanctions are not working...
See results in Russia, China, NK, Iran... You're rather making them align better with themselves... Yet the West doesn't see the Mobster they're creating... Moreover, who made u the Police of the World??

See, if US is not sanctioning some countries, you will wake up one day and hear that one country has nuked another lesser one for trivia reasons.
Weapon of mass destruction is being invented everyday, and as humans, there will always be misunderstanding. So, if there's no rule like "the United Nation Laws", people will killing themselves like in the stone-age.

No matter how we see it, one country will still be stronger than the other; it has been like this since creation.

DAVIDMOE:
See, if US is not sanctioning some countries, you will wake up one day and hear that one country has nuked another lesser one for trivia reasons.
Weapon of mass destruction is being invented everyday, and as humans, there will always be misunderstanding. So, if there's no rule like "the United Nation Laws", people will killing themselves like in the stone-age.

No matter how we see it, one country will still be stronger than the other; it has been like this since creation.

With global power comes great responsibility. Even if China was the top country it would speak against mandatory nuking because it would destabilise the global economy and hence China's hegemony. Same with US today.

DeAdvokate:
So every country must align with their proxy war in Ukraine? Shameless west!

Lets remember - Russia wants to grab a country that doesn't wanna be part of Russia coz it's not a free and democratic regime.

Are the sanctions working Aren't we seeing accelerated Nuclear programmes from NK and Iran?
NK just finished testing and launched a hyper supersonic missile... 10 times the speed of sound man!! And these are very Heavy sanctioned countries.
So what exactly is the point??
In retrospect though, i hope u know and understand that the Invasion of Iraq was unwarranted and a mistake?

DAVIDMOE:
See, if US is not sanctioning some countries, you will wake up one day and hear that one country has nuked another lesser one for trivia reasons.
Weapon of mass destruction is being invented everyday, and as humans, there will always be misunderstanding. So, if there's no rule like "the United Nation Laws", people will killing themselves like in the stone-age.

No matter how we see it, one country will still be stronger than the other; it has been like this since creation.

I Dont know why South africans masturbates with this photoshoped image of Vladimir Putin and Froghead Ramaphosa.

The oloriburuku Op cant just stop posting it.
Inferiority complex.

Hatrick01:
I Dont know why South africans masturbates with this photoshoped image of Vladimir Putin and Froghead Ramaphosa.

The oloriburuku Op cant just stop posting it.
Inferiority complex.

Go poop in a public gutter.

WannaHowzit:
Go poop in a public gutter.

Enter orania let me see

Hatrick01:
Enter orania let me see

Go enter Orania and poop in the streets coz that's what you do best.

WannaHowzit:
Go enter Orania and poop in the streets coz that's what you do best.

enter oriana town, and see if u wont be lynched.
Ape

ANC is a communist party and surely they are doomed

Hatrick01:
enter oriana town, and see if u wont be lynched.
Ape

I'm a potty trained ape. You're a world class street pooping ape.

WannaHowzit:
I'm a potty trained ape. You're a world class street pooping ape.

dullard just admitted that he's an ape.

Numbskull