Ramaphosa, Biden discuss trade, climate, energy
High on the agenda during the meeting at the White House were trade, climate and energy, during which the US announced a donation of US $45 million towards South Africa’ s US $8.5 billion efforts to transition from coal to green energy. The additional US funding for South Africa’ s Just Energy Transition Partnership comes at a time when declining natural gas and oil…
APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is on a working visit to the United States, on Friday held talks with host President Joe Biden to discuss challenges the two countries are facing at home and on the world stage.
High on the agenda during the meeting at the White House were trade, climate and energy, during which the US announced a donation of US$45 million towards South Africa’s US$8.5 billion efforts to transition from coal to green energy.
The additional US funding for South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership comes at a time when declining natural gas and oil exports from Russia and Ukraine have boosted South African coal and set back decarbonisation goals for one of the world’s most carbon-intensive economies.
The presidents also discussed relations with Russia.
Ramaphosa resisted joining Washington’s campaign against Moscow for invading Ukraine in February this year, saying Pretoria should not be forced to choose its friends.
“Clearly, the Russia-Ukranian conflict has to be resolved. Our view is that it can best be resolved through dialogue and negotiations,” Ramaphosa said after the White House meeting.
During a meeting between them in the Oval Office, which was not open to the press, the two leaders committed to addressing several of “the world’s most urgent challenges over which we both share concern, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its negative consequences for food security in Africa,” the White House said.
Biden and his aides have recently been ramping up engagements with African countries as they cast a wary eye on investments and diplomacy by rivals Russia and China on the continent.
NM/jn/APA
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