South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed "concern" Thursday about US aid cuts for African nations.
"We are concerned about the potential impact of the decision by the United States government to suspend some of its funding for HIV and TB programs in African countries for 90 days," the president said in his annual State of the Nation Address (SoNA), underlining that funding accounts for around 17% of South Africa's HIV expenditures.
He said that the country managed to provide funding from the Treasury for HIV and TB programs over the years and the government is considering interventions to tackle immediate needs along with essential services.
After taking office Jan. 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order formalizing his country's withdrawal from the UN health agency, citing "mismanagement" of the coronavirus pandemic and other global health crises, as well as its "failure" to implement urgent reforms and a "lack" of undue political influence from member states.
There are also fears that Trump may cut or withdraw support for the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an outreach fund for most Africans living with HIV/AIDS on the continent.
Ramaphosa also pointed out that South Africa "stands for a non-racial future."
"To tackle inequality, we need to undo apartheid spatial planning, which has scarred our cities and forced many people to live far from areas of work and opportunity," he added.
On the deaths of South African soldiers in the conflict-hit eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Ramaphosa announced a week-long mourning period.
Ramaphosa said 14 soldiers were killed "in defense of the fundamental right of the Congolese people to live in peace and security," and not "in the pursuit of resources or territory or power."
"The presence of South African peacekeepers in the eastern DR Congo is a testament to our continued commitment to the peaceful resolution of one of the world's most intractable conflicts, which has cost millions of lives and displaced millions of people," he said, urging all parties to find a peaceful resolution.
At least 20 peacekeepers are among the more than 3,000 victims killed since late January in Goma as M23 rebels launched an offensive to take control of North Kivu province.
The president added that South Africa would continue to promote human rights, peace and friendship as "key pillars" of its foreign policy, addressing them as the key principles of the G20 presidency in 2025 under South African leadership.
Hosting G20 for the first time in Africa is an "opportunity to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda," he said.
