Tag Archives: Cyril Ramaphosa said this week

SA’s Investment Prospects Buoyed by Economic Recovery

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Picture: RSA president, Cyril Ramaphosa

By REGINALD KANYANE

30 March 2026 – The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said this week, they will be welcoming delegates from more than 50 countries to the 6th South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) in Sandton, Gauteng. Ramaphosa said since its inception in 2018, the SAIC has grown to become a premier global forum for showcasing the attractiveness of investment opportunities in our country to domestic and international investors.

He further said investment conferences play a key role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) as high-profile platforms that connect international investors with local opportunities. Ramaphosa added that they also facilitate strong partnerships by bringing together governments, business, banks and development finance institutions.

“As investors look to destinations that have demonstrated resilience in the face of increasingly volatile global financial conditions, South Africa presents a favourable proposition. We are Africa’s largest economy with a diversified industrial base.

“Since we began our first R1.2 trillion investment mobilization drive in 2018, we have secured investment pledges in mining, healthcare, automotive, food and beverage and others, reflecting the sophistication of our economy,” he said.

Ramaphosa said South Africa is also the leading destination for renewable energy investment on the continent, with these investments making up a considerable share of the total pledges made at previous conferences. He said they have a sound policy and regulatory environment, offering certainty to investors at a time when they are just one of many emerging markets across the globe vying for capital.

“We are also a gateway for businesses looking to set up or expand their operations in Africa. Through this conference, as well as the five preceding ones, we will be seeking to build even greater confidence in our country as an investment destination, and to demonstrate our commitment to structural reform, policy certainty and policy execution.

“The green shoots of economic recovery we are experiencing further bolster our position. The macroeconomic outlook has improved. We experienced four consecutive quarters of growth by the end of 2025, national debt has stabilized and more jobs are being created,” said Ramaphosa.

He said last year, their sovereign rating was upgraded for the first time in 17 years and they were removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list. Ramaphosa said the structural reform agenda being driven through Operation Vulindlela has unlocked progress in electricity, freight logistics, water, telecommunications, and the visa system.

“We have brought load-shedding to an end and are creating a new, competitive electricity market that will ensure energy security and attract investment. The country’s logistics sector is being rapidly modernised, and we are enabling private investment in port and rail operations.

“Among the projects for which we have initiated a Private Sector Participation (PSP) process are the Ngqura Manganese Export Corridor in the Eastern Cape and the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

Ramaphosa said last year, they also signed a 25–year concession for the Durban Container Terminal Pier 2, representing R11 billion in private investment. He said a system for third-party access to the freight rail network is in place and 41 freight rail slots have been allocated to private companies.

“We have implemented reforms to the visa regime to attract new skills and promote tourism. These include operationalising the Remote Work Visa, introducing a Trusted Employer Scheme to support major investors, and piloting an Electronic Travel Authorisation system.

“By showcasing the progress and durability of the reform agenda, our goal is to grow the pool of inward investment from businesses and countries that will ultimately be a bridge to new markets, technologies and networks for South Africa,” said Ramaphosa.

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Picture: RSA president, Cyril Ramaphosa

The UN is humanity‘s best chance at peace and development

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Picture: RSA President, Cyril Ramaphosa

By REGINALD KANYANE

23 September 2025- The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said this week, he will be attending the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Ramaphosa said the event is taking place at a time when the global rules-based system is profoundly fragile.

He further said eighty years since the UN Charter committed countries of the world to work together to advance peace, promote development and uphold the rules of international justice and protect human rights, the UN is under increasing scrutiny. Ramphosa added that according to the UN’s own data, the number of global conflicts is at the highest levels since the end of the Second World War.

“Nearly half of the world’s 1.1 billion population who live in acute poverty are in countries wracked by violent conflict. Global health and pandemic response and preparedness is under serious threat following the withdrawal of global health financing and aid.

“Although last year was the warmest year on record, the global climate response is faltering. Current climate action and country ambition is failing to prevent global warming. As the UN General Assembly convenes this week under the theme: “Accelerating Global Progress Through Intergenerational Collaboration” the stakes have never been higher,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the UN is struggling to meet its mandate as contained in the UN Charter. He said it continues to be hampered by competing national interests that impede collective action.

“There is a lack of political will among member states to address many challenges, including the chronic underfunding of peacekeeping operations.

“But by far the most serious hindrance to the UN fulfilling its mandate is the structure and operation of the UN Security Council. Despite changes in global power relations over more than half a century, the decision making architecture that has enabled the five permanent members to have veto powers has not changed since the end of the Second World War,” said Ramaphosa.

He said these five permanent members effectively make decisions on behalf of more than 85% of the world’s population living in countries of the Global South. Ramaphosa said they continue to use their veto powers to effectively paralyse collective action and prevent timely responses to crises, even in the face of clear violations of international law.

“South Africa has been consistent in its calls for UN Security Council reform and for it to better reflect global realities. The current composition of the UN Security Council and its record of decisions seriously undermine the spirit of global cooperation and weaken the UN’s commitment to neutrality and its legitimacy.

“Efforts at reform, such as proposals to expand the permanent membership of the Security Council, improving regional representation, and restricting the use of the veto, have stalled and must be reinvigorated with urgency,” he said.

Ramaphosa said at a time of widespread poverty and underdevelopment, when human rights are under threat worldwide and where geopolitical tensions are creating instability across the globe, advancing multilateralism is more critical than ever. He said if the global, rules-based system is to have practical meaning, the UN must exercise its leadership role of global governance.

“The UN must actively enforce international law and human rights standards for all, and not the select few. The message South Africa takes to this year’s General Assembly is that if the organisation is to remain relevant and if the global, rules-based system is to endure, the UN must demonstrate in both word and deed that multilateralism is alive.

“Despite its many challenges, the UN remains humanity’s best chance at peace, security and sustainable development for all,” said Ramaphosa.

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