White House Expresses Concern Over South Africa-Russia Security Partnership

The White House expressed concern on Tuesday June 13 about a potential rapprochement between South Africa and Russia, in response to a call from American elected officials aimed at sanctioning Pretoria. “We share the concerns of Congress over a potential security partnership between South Africa and Russia”told reporters Judd Devermont, who is responsible for sub-Saharan Africa at the White House.

The American ambassador in Pretoria, Reuben Brigety, recently accused the South African government of having delivered arms to Russia, a country that has been waging a military offensive against Ukraine for more than a year, triggering strong protests in the UNITED STATES. According to him, a Russian freighter docked in December 2022 near Cape Town before returning to Russia loaded with arms and ammunition.

In a letter, influential American parliamentarians have called for South Africa to no longer be able to benefit from commercial advantages within the framework of an American law on development in Africa (Agoa). This law, which expires in 2025, grants privileged access to the American market to African countries that meet certain democratic criteria.

The elected officials suggest that such a delivery of arms, if proven, would violate American sanctions and call for a next meeting within the framework of AGOA planned in South Africa to take place in another country. The White House official did not comment on such sanctions, but assured that the « loi [était] very clear on what we need to do and that will not change for South Africa”.

Another official in charge of Africa at the State Department, Molly Phee, for her part said she expected South Africa to respect its long-standing policy as a non-aligned country. “South Africa is expected to respect this policy regarding this terrible conflict in Europe”, she clarified. South Africa, close to the Kremlin since the days of the struggle against apartheid, refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, saying it wanted to remain neutral.