US Ambassador Hails Meeting With SA's Pandor But Silent On Apology
United States (US) ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety has confirmed meeting International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor but stopped short of apologising for his claims that South Africa sold arms and ammunition to Russia in December 2022.
This is despite Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson Clayson Monyela saying Brigety had “apologised unreservedly” for his remarks.
In a tweet posted about two hours after Monyela had tweeted about the meeting on Friday night, Brigety said he had the chance to “correct misimpressions left by his public remarks” reaffirming the strong ties between South Africa and the United States. He wrote:
I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Pandor this evening and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks.
In our conversation, I reaffirmed the strong partnership between our two countries and the important agenda our Presidents have given us.
South Africa is the United States’ largest trading partner in Africa, with billions of dollars worth of trade between the two countries.
It is feared that the straining of relations between the two countries could spell economic trouble, especially for South Africa’s emerging markets.
Brigety is yet to provide concrete proof of his claims that South Africa armed Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
If it is proved that South Africa provided arms to Russia to aid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, there are fears that South Africa faces a risk of heavy sanctions by the US.
South Africa has a relatively well-developed defence industry, with a number of companies involved in the design, manufacture and maintenance of military equipment.
Some of the major players in South Africa’s defence industry include:
- Denel, which is a state-owned company involved in the production of artillery, munitions, and missile technology;
- Armscor, which is responsible for the procurement and management of defence equipment for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF);
- Paramount Group, which designs and manufactures armoured vehicles, aircraft and unmanned aerial systems.
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