JOHANNESBURG: South Africa is prepared to help mediate the escalating conflict in the Middle East if formally requested, President Cyril Ramaphosa said during remarks on the sidelines of an energy conference in Cape Town.
Speaking to local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Ramaphosa emphasized Pretoria’s longstanding commitment to diplomatic solutions and peaceful conflict resolution.
“South Africa is always ready to play a contributing role, either in mediation or whatever. And if a gap opens or if we are asked, we always live up to our obligations,” Ramaphosa said.
The president reiterated his government’s call for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that dialogue remains the most effective path to ending hostilities.
“If the opportunity were to open, we would talk and say: there must be a ceasefire. Dialogue is always the best way of ending conflict and then ending the war. And we want this war to come to an end immediately,” he said.
Ramaphosa also noted that South African authorities are working to assist citizens affected by the conflict, including efforts to repatriate nationals stranded in the region.
South Africa has traditionally positioned itself as a proponent of multilateral diplomacy and negotiated settlements in global conflicts, often drawing on its own transition from apartheid to democracy as a model for dialogue-driven resolution.
-Sfundo Madubela
