PRETORIA, February 7. /TASS/. No one will manage to intimidate or stop South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his annual state of the nation address.
"We must chart this path in a world that is rapidly changing. It is a world of both interdependence and competition, of cooperation and conflict," he said. "It is a multipolar world in which new countries are emerging to play a greater role in global affairs. We are seeing intensifying competition over trade, technology and influence in global institutions. There are global fundamental shifts underway that affect every aspect of human life. From the growing impact of climate change to rapid advances in artificial intelligence, geopolitical tensions and violent conflicts. In the face of these challenges, we are witnessing the rise of nationalism and protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests and the decline of common cause. This is the world that we, as a developing economy, must now navigate. But we are not daunted. We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people. We will not be bullied. We will stand together as a united nation. We will speak with one voice in defence of our national interest, our sovereignty and our constitutional democracy," the president said.
Ramaphosa’s speech came amid a heated debate between the US and South Africa over the land expropriation bill that the South African president signed into law on January 23. On February 2, US President Donald Trump said that Washington would stop all funding to South Africa pending an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in the country. He claimed that South Africa was confiscating land and treating "certain classes of people" very badly. In response, Ramaphosa said he looked forward to interacting with Trump to discuss issues related to the relationship between the two countries. On February 3, the South African president held a phone conversation with South African-born businessman Elon Musk, during which they discussed misinformation and fakes about South Africa.
On February 6, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he would not travel to Johannesburg this month for the G20 foreign ministers' meeting because of South Africa's anti-US policies and what he saw as a failed agenda for the meeting based on the principles of solidarity, equality and sustainability. Hours later, Ramaphosa said he would send delegations to a number of countries around the world to explain the goals of South Africa's G20 presidency.