Cape Town, South Africa – UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and South African Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola have signed a series of bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening ties between their nations. The agreements focus on enhancing trade and defense cooperation.
Lammy, who is on an official visit to South Africa, reiterated the UK’s long-standing position on the importance of African representation at the United Nations Security Council. “The UK has had a longstanding position that Africa must be represented on the U.N. Security Council, and I’m keen to better understand if the recent position is supported by other members of the Security Council, particularly Russia and China,” he said during talks with Lamola.
For his part, Lamola acknowledged the deep “bonds of friendship” between the UK and South Africa, describing the UK as an important partner for the nation. However, he also noted that while the relationship is strong, there is room for improvement. Specifically, he pointed to the stagnation in trade and investment between the two countries, which he attributed in part to the impact of the pandemic.
The meeting comes at a critical time as both countries seek to recover economically and bolster their strategic partnerships on the global stage. With renewed commitments to cooperation in key sectors, the hope is that the agreements will pave the way for a stronger and more resilient partnership moving forward.