/
RSS Feed
Addressing the UN General Assembly, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a strong rebuke of the global economic system, warning against the increasing use of trade as a geopolitical weapon.
“It is concerning that geopolitical shocks and unprecedented trade policy volatility are destabilizing the global economy,” he said. “In fact, trade is now being used as a weapon against a number of countries in the world.”
Ramaphosa singled out the decades-long US embargo on Cuba, describing it as a damaging and unjust policy that has crippled the Cuban economy. “This unfair embargo must be lifted, and we want it lifted sooner rather than later,” he urged.
He emphasized the need to reconnect trade with development, particularly for nations in the Global South, condemning unilateral trade practices and pushing for fair, transparent rules that give developing countries a level playing field.
Ramaphosa further stressed that Africa and the wider Global South cannot meet their development goals without better access to financing. “We must ensure developing nations can access adequate capital to achieve sustainable development,” he said.
