Blinken meets South Africa leader Ramaphosa, heads to Congo

MOGOMOTSI MAGOME, Associated Press

Aug 9, 2022

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1of12U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa meet together at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less

2of12U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less3of12

4of12US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa motion for South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor to join them for photographs as they meet at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less

5of12Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, right, attend a Women’s Day event at the South African Medical Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less6of12

7of12Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a Women’s Day Event at the South African Medical Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda .Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less

8thof12From left; South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa pose for photographs as they meet at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less9of12

10of12Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor speak to each other after attending a Women’s Day Event at the South African Medical Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less

11of12Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards his plane at Lanseria International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, to travel to Congo. Blinken is on a ten day trip to Cambodia, Philippines, South Africa, Congo, and Rwanda.Andrew Harnik/APshow moreshow less12of12

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and marked the country’s Women’s Day holiday, before embarking on a flight to Congo to continue his three-nation tour of Africa.

Blinken met with Ramaphosa Tuesday morning for brief talks that also included South Africa’s International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor.

The cordial meeting did not mask the differences between the US and South Africa over Russia’s war in Ukraine. South Africa has remained neutral on the war and refused to criticize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine or conduct in the conflict.

Blinken also marked South Africa’s Women’s Day holiday, marking the day in 1956 when women of all races marched to the capital, Pretoria, to protest apartheid, the country’s regime of oppression of the Black majority which did not end until 1994.

Blinken attended an event at the South African Medical Research Council in Pretoria.

The US top diplomat then took off on a flight to Congo, the next stop on his three-nation tour of Africa.

Written By

MOGOMOTSI MAGOME