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☆ A BRICS no-show speaks volumes about Putin's shrinking horizons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Putin will be notably absent from a key global forum this week, the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. His no-show speaks volumes about Russia’s isolation – and Putin’s shrinking horizons. Bolstering such support against the background of the war on Ukraine was a key aim of Putin’s recent Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin, of course, bristles at any implication that Putin is ducking out of the BRICS summit because of an ICC warrant. Russia, after all, is waging a war on Ukraine that Putin has justified in starkly imperial terms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, he’ll, Alexander Lukashenko, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi –, Sergey Lavrov, Omar al, Bashir –, Darfur –, Dmitry Peskov, ”, Lavrov, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, South, Indian, International Criminal, ICC, Hague, Russian, UN Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Central Asia, Iran, Minsk, Belarusian, Russia, Johannesburg, Russian, Africa, St . Petersburg, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, Darfur, BRICS, United States

CNN —South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma was returned to prison on Friday to comply with a ruling that his release on ill health was unlawful – but was freed after just an hour under a remission process to address overcrowding in jail. In September 2021 the government’s correctional services department said Zuma, then 79, had been released from prison on medical parole due to ill health. The department announced that Zuma had been released from prison in October 2022. But South Africa’s Court of Appeal ruled in November that Zuma should return to prison, saying the decision to release him on medical parole was unlawful. To comply with the ruling, Zuma returned to prison on Friday, but benefited from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s policy of granting remission to nonviolent offenders in South Africa, in order to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, “, Makgothi Thobakgale, Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa’s, Ronald Lamola, ” Organizations: CNN, Correctional Services, ” Correctional Locations: South Africa, Africa’s

CNN —A summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and African leaders began in St. Petersburg on Thursday, with a far lower turnout than previous years. Just 17 heads of African states are attending this year, the Kremlin has confirmed, less than half of the 43 heads of state that attended the 2019 conference. And some African politicians – further than simply not attending the summit – have expressed grave concerns about Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine. Putin makes free grain pledgeThe African states being represented at the St. Petersburg summit will be keen to sway Russia into rejoining the grain deal, and Putin has courted African leaders for years in a deliberate effort to broaden Moscow’s global influence. Russia’s Wagner mercenaries have also been deployed in some African states.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, William Ruto, –, “, ”, Raila Odinga, ” Odinga, Putin, Russia’s Wagner, ” Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Cyril Ramaphosa’s, Maria Lvova Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Kenyan, Putin, Russian, ”, Criminal Court, ICC Locations: St . Petersburg, United States, Moscow, Africa, Russia, Ukraine, St, Petersburg, Russian, Johannesburg, South Africa, Rome, Hague

☆ BRICS summit: Putin will not attend conference in South Africa, as ICC arrest warrant overshadows key talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( David Mckenzie Catherine Nicholls Sana Noor Haq | David Mckenzie | Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said Putin will not attend the conference “by mutual agreement,” adding that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would visit instead. In the months following, South African lawmakers have made contradictory statements over the country’s obligation to arrest Putin should he attend the summit. As a signatory to the Rome statute, the treaty governing the Hague court, South Africa is compelled to arrest individuals indicted by the ICC. Western diplomats have criticized South African lawmakers for their perceived solidarity with Russia since the start of that conflict. “I must highlight, for the sake of transparency, that South Africa has obvious problems with executing a request to arrest and surrender President Putin,” Ramaphosa said, according to the court’s document.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa’s, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Maria Lvova, Ramaphosa, “, ” Ramaphosa, Dmitry Peskov, Ramaphosa’s, ” Peskov, ”, Omar al, Bashir Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Russian, Criminal Court, ICC, Hague, United Nations General, Cape Town Locations: Johannesburg, Ukraine, Brazil, India, China, Russian, Russia, Rome, South Africa, Cape, Africa, Darfur

☆ South Africa’s President Says Putin Will Not Attend Diplomatic Summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( John Eligon | More About John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Vladimir V. Putin will not attend a diplomatic summit in Johannesburg next month, South Africa’s president announced on Wednesday, a decision that allows the host nation to avoid the difficult predicament of whether to arrest the Russian leader, who is the subject of an international warrant. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa had said in a court affidavit made public on Tuesday that his country would risk war with Russia if it arrested Mr. Putin at the summit. The decision for Mr. Putin not to attend was made “by mutual agreement,” according to a statement released by Mr. Ramaphosa’s office. Russia will instead be represented by its foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, the statement said. South African officials were forced to weigh that alliance against its relationship with Western partners, which has been strained lately because of South Africa’s refusal to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Mr, Sergey V, Lavrov Organizations: South Locations: Johannesburg, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Russia, Ukraine

☆ African leaders meet with Putin as part of their 'peace mission' to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —African leaders hoping to mediate in the Ukraine war met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg Saturday. The delegation aims to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table despite both of them playing down the possibility. Many African countries have been impacted by the Ukraine war, well into its second year, in particular with grain prices soaring. A statement released by the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed his arrival in St. Petersburg, alongside the leaders of Zambia, the Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal, and Uganda. The leaders visited Kyiv on Friday to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ramaphosa, Zelensky, ” Organizations: CNN, Petersburg, South, Kyiv, Ukrainian, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Ukraine, Russian, St, St . Petersburg, Zambia, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Russia, Africa, Kyiv, “

CNN —An African delegation on a peace mission to Ukraine headed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was greeted with explosions and forced to shelter in bunkers amid air strikes on the capital Kyiv. The African leaders are expected to travel to Russia Saturday to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin. “Russia’s missile attack took place just as African leaders arrived in the capital,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Friday. He has also come under fire after the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, said South Africa supplied arms to Russia in December last year. He added that the future of this agreement would be discussed at his meeting with the African leaders on Saturday.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, “, ” Andriy Yermak, “ Putin, ”, Joe Biden, Antonio Guterres, ” Yermak, ” Ramaphosa, Macky Sall, Hichilema, Azali Assoumani, Andriy Kostin, Valentyn Ogirenko, Andrzej Duda, Ramaphosa, Reuben Brigety, Vincent Magwenya, Putin, Moscow, ” Putin Organizations: CNN, South, UN, Russia, Ukraine's, Reuters, Polish Border Guard, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, ”, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, Egypt, Congo, Uganda, Africa, Bucha, Poland’s, Warsaw, Poland, South Africa, America, Latin America

☆ South Africa energy blackouts: Ramaphosa skips Davos to tackle crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

London CNN —South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced this week to cancel a trip to Davos by an escalating energy crisis that is inflicting rolling blackouts on the continent’s most developed economy. At peak times, demand in South Africa averages between 28,000 MW and 34,000 MW. Electricity theft, including by impoverished townships in South Africa, and non-payment by municipal customers have made matters worse. Despite an abundance of sunshine and wind, South Africa still derives about 80% of its electricity from coal. South Africa’s National Energy Crisis Committee, a body run out of Ramaphosa’s office, has proposed several measures to ease the crisis in the short term, including importing energy from neighboring countries and buying excess energy from private producers.

☆ South African Parliament votes against Ramaphosa impeachment investigation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Johannesburg CNN —South African President Ramaphosa survived a move to start impeachment proceedings against him in a vote in parliament on Tuesday. The move was widely expected, after the top leadership ruling African National Congress (ANC) called on their parliamentary caucus to block the investigation. There were a few ‘yes’ votes from ANC members, and a couple of no-shows, but their caucus largely held together. The president has repeatedly denied the allegations saying the money was from the sale of wildlife at his Phala Phala farm. ANC members said that the report did not provide enough evidence to move towards an impeachment proceeding.

☆ Calls intensify for South Africa leader to quit over theft probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Lawmakers are expected to debate the report on Tuesday, and they will vote on whether further action should be taken, including whether to proceed with impeachment proceedings. According to the parliamentary report, Ramaphosa claimed the stolen money amounted to $580,000, disputing the initial amount of $4 million that Fraser alleged was stolen. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is among those calling for Ramaphosa’s impeachment. “President Ramaphosa most likely did breach a number of constitutional provisions and has a case to answer. Impeachment proceedings into his conduct must go ahead, and he will have to offer far better, more comprehensive explanations than we have been given so far,” Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said.

☆ Cyril Ramaphosa facing impeachment calls
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Johannesburg CNN —South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is facing calls to step down from opposition leaders and even senior figures in his ruling African National Congress party after an independent panel found there is initial evidence that he could have violated his oath of office. President Ramaphosa most likely did breach a number of Constitutional provisions and has a case to answer. The panel was appointed by the speaker of parliament after a motion from a smaller opposition party. The National Assembly will consider the report and may institute impeachment proceedings – though the ANC does hold a majority of seats. Ramaphosa took office after his predecessor Jacob Zuma was forced to resign because of multiple allegations of Corruption.

☆ Cyril Ramaphosa: South African president resists calls to resign
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —After days of speculation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa looks set to fight calls for his resignation despite a damning report that found he could have covered up the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars at his private game farm. Prior to the release of the report, Ramaphosa was widely expected to win a second term as ANC leader. And will never do so,” he said while addressing members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party in June this year. President Ramaphosa most likely did breach a number of Constitutional provisions and has a case to answer. Some allies of former president Zuma are now openly asking for Ramaphosa to step down.

This time round, Charles III hosted the first state visit of his reign and welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the UK. The South African state visit was Charles’s first big diplomatic test. But this week, the prominence of the Prince and Princess of Wales during the state visit indicated that the couple have been elevated into crucial central roles. PHOTOS OF THE WEEKHere’s a few of our favorite shots from the first state visit King Charles hosted as monarch. Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty ImagesThe state visit also allowed UK PM Rishi Sunak the opportunity to welcome Ramaphosa to 10 Downing Street for a bilateral meeting.

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