South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on Friday called for reforms to global governance bodies and pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Meeting in Pretoria, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Austrian counterpart Alexander van der Bellen highlighted the urgent need to reform global institutions, particularly the United Nations, in response to mounting global challenges such as geopolitical tensions, climate change, and regional conflicts.
“We meet at a time of heightened global insecurity,” Ramaphosa said, emphasising the importance of defending a multilateral system that is currently “under attack.” He noted that both Austria and South Africa are committed to international cooperation and believe in the power of multilateralism to foster peace and stability.
The two leaders agreed that reforms are essential for global institutions to remain effective and relevant in today’s world. They also committed to strengthening trade and diplomatic relations.
Van der Bellen praised South Africa’s peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy, calling it a global model for peace and inclusive governance. This marks the first official visit by an Austrian president to South Africa.
He also noted that South Africa is Austria’s largest trade partner in Africa, accounting for one-third of Austrian exports to the continent and a quarter of its imports from Africa. Austria has invested approximately €700 million in South Africa, making it one of the top EU investors in the country.
The leaders oversaw the signing of a memorandum of cooperation covering consular affairs, education, and vocational training through work-based learning.
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Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, as continued Hungarian opposition keeps consensus out of reach.
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” following President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating his previous global tariff programme.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has drawn international attention after forming an unusual bond with a stuffed orangutan toy after being rejected by its mother.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday (21 February) that he will raise temporary tariffs on nearly all U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under the law, after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
Iran announced on Saturday (21 February) that it has designated the naval and air forces of European Union member states as “terrorist entities” in a reciprocal move after the EU blacklisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, as continued Hungarian opposition keeps consensus out of reach.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
China says it's making a "full assessment" of the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and urged Washington to lift "relevant unilateral tariff measures" on its trading partners, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Monday (23 February).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A “Victory will be ours” banner was hung on the Russian Embassy in Seoul, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains on display despite a request from the South Korean Foreign Ministry on Sunday (22 February) for its removal, sparking widespread criticism.
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