Doha, November 15 (QNA) - HE President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa praised the role of the State of Qatar in mediating the crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories. He commended Qatar for defending the position supported by his country, centered on the two-state solution, with Palestine emerging as a fully recognized state alongside the continued existence of Israel.
This came during a press conference held by His Excellency in Doha, where he affirmed that both South Africa and Qatar condemn the ongoing events in Gaza.
He highlighted the transformation of Gaza into a detention camp where genocide is taking place, saying that South Africa declared its position of opposing the ongoing operation, especially as it is now targeting hospitals, where children, women, adding that scores of the wounded are dying and that preserving life is no longer a reality, that it is being completely ignored and set aside.
He said that, based on this, South Africa, along with many other countries globally, sees it fitting to refer the actions taken by the Israeli government entirely to the International Criminal Court.
He urged various countries to exert pressure on Israel to immediately stop its actions, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire to save more lives.
He highlighted the disregard for legal principles, with children being killed, noting that half of the 11,000 people who died in Gaza were children describing it as an unprecedented tragedy globally. He called for the UN Security Council to monitor the situation in Gaza, as it is entirely unacceptable for innocent people to be killed in such a manner, leading to collective punishment and the deaths of many.
On another note, he said that his visit to Qatar represented an opportunity to explore ways to expand economic relations between the two countries. There were a number of Memorandums of understanding signed to deepen the relationship between South Africa and Qatar.
HE the President of South Africa pointed out that, during the visit, he discussed ways in which investments and trade between the two countries could be increased. He added that he felt a need for the attendance of officials and businessmen from both countries to discuss the opportunity.
HE President said there was a deep desire of Qatari and South African companies to expand economic relations, citing a strong foundation established between the two governments. He also expressed his belief that this visit will stimulate the entire investment and trade process to reach another level. He added that he was pleased to visit and renew ties with Qatar, adding that they also laid an extremely strong foundation for investments.
The South African President highlighted the presence of South African companies in Qatar, with major companies like Sasol investing strongly in Qatar, along with medium-sized companies such as Nando's and Ocean Basket, among others.
HE President Cyril Ramaphosa considered Qatar an excellent investment destination for South African businessmen, while South Africa is seen as a very fertile investment place for Qatari companies, especially in renewable energy. He confirmed Qatar's readiness to consider infrastructure projects and various other sectors. (QNA)