Joe Biden and Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 summit in Cornwall, June 2021 – Photo: DIRCO
Joe Biden and Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 summit in Cornwall, June 2021 – Photo: DIRCO
President Cyril Ramaphosa will undertake his first trip to the White House this week, as he prepares for in-person talks with his American counterpart, Joe Biden. The pair are expected to take part in high-level discussions during this diplomatic arrangement.
The visit, arguably, comes at an opportune time for Cyril Ramaphosa. He’s currently the subject of a scandal that refuses to go away quietly. Earlier this year, it was revealed that burglars ransacked one of his farms – and found $4 million in cash hidden on the property.
Both the Public Protector and the SA Reserve Bank have asked the president for an explanation, but Ramaphosa hasn’t exactly been forthcoming. The so-called ‘cash stash’ – made up entirely of US dollars – has piled the pressure on South Africa’s head of state.
Nonetheless, Cyril will carry on with business as usual over the next few days. The ANC leader will travel to Washington DC on Friday 16 September, where he will be received by Joe Biden at the White House. US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has set up the meeting.
DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor has stressed the importance of South Africa’s trading operations with the US:
“Over the years, two-way trade between South Africa and the United States has been on the increase. The United States is South Africa’s third largest trading partner (after China and the European Union), with more than 600 United States companies operating within our borders.“
“South Africa and the United States enjoy historic and cordial relations. The US is a major export market for South Africa, a significant source of foreign direct investment (FDI), technology transfer, development assistance and tourism.” | Naledi Pandor
It’s understood both presidents will discuss the following matters of bilateral, regional and global significance: