Russian Consulate in Cape Town

✍️ Address by Ambassador Roman Ambarov on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and South Africa (28 February 2025) Dear friends, 🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 Today Russia and South Africa mark the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations. They were established in trying times of fundamental changes in both Russia and South Africa, yet over the years developed into strategic partnership between our countries. We efficiently cooperate on the bilateral track and in international fora. As part of #BRICS and #G20, we bolster the role of the Global South in international affairs, help build up a more just, multipolar world. ☝️ Russian-South African friendship dates back to the times when Africa was fighting against colonialism and apartheid. Our country rendered assistance to the liberation movements, first and foremost – to the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party. In line with these glorious pages, Russia and South Africa today find themselves at the forefront of the struggle against neo-colonialism and for the sovereign equality of all states. We are honoured with the fact that South Africans cherish the memory of our shared history, too. As the Russian Embassy in South Africa, we attach great importance to humanitarian and people-to-people contacts providing a strong foundation for our political and economic cooperation, strengthening mutual trust and understanding. Dear friends, The first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa Nelson Mandela was a great friend of Russia, and he is remembered and honoured across our country. To conclude, let me quote Madiba, the words he had said at the Russian Academy of Sciences in April 1999 during his first visit to Russia as the state leader: “May our bonds with Russia long continue to help freedom and knowledge strengthen one another.” #RussiaSouthAfrica#RussiaSArelations#RuissiaAfrica#Ambarov#EmbassyofRussia

🇷🇺🇿🇦 On February 21, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovmet with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on the sidelines of the #G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg. During the meeting, held in a constructive atmosphere, the ministers discussed topical issues of the development of bilateral relations of strategic partnership, with an emphasis on expanding trade and economic ties. The Sides emphasised the importance of enhancing Moscow and Pretoria’s foreign policy coordination at international platforms, such as the #UN, #BRICS and the G20, as well as the #RussiaAfrica dialogue. The Мinisters discussed the current international situation, with a focus on the Palestinian issue and the overall situation in the Middle East and North Africa. 🤝 The Ministers noted the similar approach to settling conflicts in Africa, including the situation in the African Great Lakes region, and the role of the African Union in maintaining peace and security on the continent. Sergey Lavrov informed his South African counterpart about the results of Russian-US contacts on the Ukrainian issue held in Riyadh, including the need to achieve a settlement through eradicating the root causes of the crisis, which the NATO and EU leaders had plotted for a long time. #RussiaSouthAfrica

🎙Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions following the G20 Ministerial Council meeting(Johannesburg, February 21, 2025) Read in full 💬 The main focus of the deliberations among the Foreign Ministers was the crucial goal of amplifying the voices of developing nations in global decision-making. The discussions were substantial, and we observed tangible progress in this regard. Since last year, the African Union has attained full membership within the G20. The League of Arab States (#LAS) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (#CELAC) are interested in securing equivalent status. Such ambitions are commendable. We are confident that, in due course, the #EAEU may also rightfully aspire to similar standing <…> We articulated our perspective on international challenges and their resolution during a period when multipolar realities are increasingly acknowledged. The advent of multipolarity is self-evident to us and to the #BRICS nations. Statistical evidence underscores this trend. 📈 The combined gross domestic product of BRICS states has surpassed that of the G7 countries. BRICS accounts for 37 percent of global GDP, compared to the G7’s 29 percent. This disparity heightens the urgency of reforming global economic institutions to reflect the genuine weight of the Global South and the World Majority within the world economy, alongside fostering non-discriminatory economic ties. These matters were actively deliberated. Russia stands ready to vigorously facilitate further progress in this domain, though numerous challenges persist <…> We urged our Western counterparts to respect universally recognised rules of international law. Emphasis was placed on revitalising the United Nations’ role as a platform for coordinating state actions and forging a fair balance of interests. The role played by BRICS certainly attracts everyone’s attention at the global level <…> Speaking about entities that play a certain role in international economic relations, the G20 in general retains the role of a dialogue platform between the old and new centres of power. We spoke in favour of preserving the economic profile of this association <…> South Africa, which has led the G20 this year, completes the succession of BRICS presidencies that began in 2022, when Indonesia was at the head of the G20. In 2023 it was India, and in 2024 it was Brazil. This successive version of BRICS being at the helm of the G20 has had the positive outcomeof strengthening the position of the Global South in our forum. ❗️ All this contributes to the establishment of a fairer multipolar world order based on the sovereign equality of states, as required by the UN Charter, and on all other principles of the Charter in their totality and interrelation. From answers to media questions: • The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, spoke at the G20 with the same array of accusations, proclaiming certain “plans” that would prevent Russia from taking its rightful place in the world. There is some tragicomic element to this. • The reaction of the “tragicomic figures” heading the Brussels bureaucracy and NATO tothe meeting in Riyadh is highly illustrative. The mere fact that representatives of two great powers sat down, engaged in discussion, and articulated their respective positions is perceived by them as a betrayal of Western interests. These individuals are not in good health. • Multipolarity is gaining ascendancy. The growth trajectories of new, formidable centres of power – economic, political, and financial – demonstrate that this multipolarity is irreversible. In this context, the G20 retains its relevance as a forum where Western participants may come to recognise the inevitability of this process and begin adapting to it.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the G20’s objectives in 2025, a discussion of planned results of South Africa’s Presidency and an assessment of the forum’s activities (Johannesburg, February 21, 2025) 💬 In conditions of global economic fragmentation, a dialogue on global issues in the #G20 remains in high demand as never before. We commend the Republic of South Africa’s substantial preparations for the forum and the topicality of chosen thematic priorities. We are particularly impressed with the emphasis on a search for a common denominator in the interests of combining efforts to facilitate sustained growth and development. We still have a long way to go for attaining the desired results, and the overall background for joint work in conditions of geopolitical confrontation, that is being incited, remains unfavourable. The statistics are well-known: We are lagging far behind a schedule for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals until 2030, and only 17% of them are on track. <...> Historical experience shows that it is impossible to independently cope with common challenges and threats. This is why the G20 was established in 2008 at the level of national leaders. At that time, it was necessary to put out the fire of a global financial crisis in emergency circumstances. It became possible to stabilise markets for a while. ❗️ However, we are now witnessing an entire cascade of intertwined crises. Behind them are armed conflicts that have been unleashed and inspired by the West, trade, technological and hybrid wars, the demolition of the international trade system, the weaponisation of the dollar that has turned into a tool for manipulations. <...> ☝️ Nevertheless, the modern world is being transformed drastically and becoming truly multipolar. The 500-year period of Western domination is irreversibly becoming a thing of the past. It is necessary to find the strength and to accept this objective reality. The international community does not want to be hostage to unilateral decisions of former sovereigns. This is particularly obvious today when we are celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the war against Nazism and the 65th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples as a starting point of acquiring independence by Africa, Asia and the entire Global South. In 2022, #BRICSconfidently outpaced the G7 in terms of GDP. Today, BRICS and the G7 account for 37 and 29 percent of the global GDP, respectively. <...> During Russia’s #BRICS Chairmanship at the Kazan Summit in 2024, the participants adopted multiple promising decisions to launch non-discriminatory, independent of anyone’s whim mechanisms stimulating investment and trade, with due consideration for Africa’s special needs. The neo-liberal circles in the West regard the objective process of burgeoning multipolarity as a challenge rather than an opportunity. They are putting an absurd stake on a confrontation, on inflicting a “strategic defeat” on rivals. In so doing, they use neocolonialist practices <...> Under these circumstances, G20 retains its status as a useful venue for aligning the interests of states with different strategies and development levels, this primarily due to the efforts of BRICS countries. <...> 🤝We share South Africa’s plans to survey the G20 activities over past years. We hope that the result will enable us to reaffirm our commitment to de-politicised interaction based on the unshakeable principle of consensus with an eye to implementing the task to ensure a sustainable and comprehensive economic growth, a task set back in 2009. This would be a worthy result of Africa’s first ever G20 Summit. Read in full

🇷🇺🇿🇦 On February 20, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovwas received by the President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. During the meeting, the officials reviewed the main aspects of the diverse Russia – South Africa partnership and prioritised efforts to expand political, trade, economic, investment, scientific and technological cooperation in accordance with agreements reached by the Presidents of Russia and the Republic of South Africa. They prioritised promising long-term projects in the field of peaceful space exploration. They emphasised the commitment of both countries to continued constructive cooperation on the main issues of the international and regional agenda, including coordinated efforts at the UN, the G20 and #BRICS. The officials also discussed the situation around Ukraine. Sergey Lavrov informed Cyril Ramaphosa about the February 18 #RussiaUStalks in Riyadh. #RussiaSouthAfrica

🇷🇺🇨🇳 On February 20, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the #G20 Ministerial in Johannesburg. The Parties praised the development of political dialogue and practical cooperation between Russia and China as a stabilising factor in the context of continuing turbulence of the global system. Special focus was placed on the work to ensure the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries’ heads and preparations for the upcoming Russian-Chinese contacts at the high and highest levels in 2025. An in-depth discussion was held on global and regional problems, such as Eurasian security, developments in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific Region, relations with the US, and Ukrainian crisis. 🇺🇳 The Foreign Ministers discussed the two countries’ cooperation within the UN and other international organisations and in various multilateral formats. ☝️ Wang Yi stressed that, while promoting initiatives for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, Beijing believes it necessary to eradicate its root causes in accordance with the corresponding principles of the UN Charter, above all unconditional respect for human rights. Special focus was placed on the #G20’s activities to build an equal dialogue between representatives of the Global Majority and the West in the financial and economic sphere based on everyone complying with the G20 mandate. The Ministers also compared their approaches on issues related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and#BRICS. The conversation was held in the traditionally confidential and constructive spirit that characterises Russian-Chinese strategic partnership. #RussiaChina

🌐In just a few minutes, the opening of the #G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting will take place in Johannesburg. The Russian delegation will be led by Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. South Africa’s chairmanship of the #G20 is a significant event not only for Pretoria but also for the entire African continent, which will host #G20 events for the first time. 🤝The presidency will be held under the slogan "Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability” continuing the efforts of the previous presidencies to establish the #G20 as a key platform for genuinely equal dialogue between developing and developed countries. ☝️ During South Africa's leadership of the forum #BRICS partners have already achieved significant results in adapting the #G20 agenda to the urgent needs of a multipolar world order and in the democratization of international economic governance institutions in the interests of non-Western power centers. Countries with emerging markets are increasingly collectively advancing independent, balanced views on energy and food security, unilateral economic pressure and other forms of unfair competition. Key political momentum for the #G20 this year comes from important anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II and the founding of the United Nations, as well as the 65th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, initiated by the USSR, which launched the process of establishing independent states in Africa. During the Foreign Ministers' meeting, the impact of the current geopolitical situation on the global economy is expected to be thoroughly discussed. Additionally, there will be an exchange of key assessments regarding the priorities for negotiation efforts put forward by Pretoria, aimed at promoting dynamic economic growth, reducing inequality, creating quality jobs, ensuring food security, and providing access to advanced technologies and financing on fair terms. 👉 In his speeches, Sergey V. Lavrov will provide a detailed overview of the current international situation, focusing on the root causes and driving forces behind key events, emphasizing the unacceptability of maintaining the confrontational line of neoliberal elites, and proposing specific actions to overcome destructive phenomena. The Russian side will reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the central role of the UN in global affairs, emphasizing the necessity of strictly adhering to the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnection. 🇷🇺 In the context of implementing the priorities of South Africa’s presidency, Russia will: • Draw attention to the need for practical steps to quickly redistribute IMF voting quotas in favor of developing countries • Work towards the full restoration of the WTO's functionality • Advocate for maintaining an open global economy and rejecting its use as a weapon. The Russian Minister will underscore the inadmissibility of trade wars, unilateral restrictions, and other forms of discriminatory approaches.

🇿🇦 This year’s opening meeting of the #G20 Foreign Ministers as part of the debut presidency of South Africa – a friendly country whose stance is in accord with #Russia’s – will take place in Johannesburg on February 20-21, a landmark event not only for Pretoria, but also for the entire African continent, which will host G20 events for the first time. 🇷🇺 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to lead the Russian delegation. It is expected that most of the members of this major economic forum, as well as a wide range of invited states and international organisations, will be represented at a similar level. ☝️ The meeting will open with an address by President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, which will set the general tone for discussing global challenges and threats. The discussion will particularly focus on the international situation, which is alarmingly deteriorating under the impact of the confrontational policy by the neoliberal Western elites. The participants will consider the current integrity and effective functioning of the global economic system. The priorities stated by the South African presidency are designed to encourage economic growth, reduce inequality and imbalances, and ensure equitable access to financing for countries in the Global South. 🤝 The South African presidency theme highlighting “solidarity, equality and sustainability” will provide solid framework for the consultations, essentially continuing in the same vein as its predecessors in 2022-2024 – Indonesia, India and Brazil, all of them Global Majority countries. In particular, this refers to the G20’s significant contribution during this period to strengthening the foundations of the multipolar world and making global economic institutions more democratic in the interests of new non-Western centres of influence, primarily the expanded #BRICS group. ❗️The upcoming anniversaries, such as the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II and the foundation of the #UN, as well as the 65th anniversary of the Russia-sponsored Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples adopted by the UN General Assembly to ensure Africa’s independence, should be seen as key benchmarks for the exchange of views. 👉 In his remarks, the Minister will provide a detailed analysis of the international situation underscoring the root causes of the current crisis, and outline specific steps to overcome the destructive phenomena. The Russian side will reaffirm its stance in favour of preserving the United Nations’ central role in global affairs. We will speak in support of strict compliance with the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnection. We will insist that there is no alternative to respectful interstate cooperation and ensuring equal and indivisible security for all. We will call for keeping the global economy open, rejecting trade wars, illegitimate sanctions and other unfair competition practices. We will cite examples of supranational associations that practice honest and productive cooperation without diktat or blackmail, such as the #EAEU, the #SCO and #BRICS. We will share the details of implementing the Russia-sponsored Greater Eurasian Partnership initiative. The Minister is expected to meet with several counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting. #G20SouthAfrica#BetterAfricaBetterWorld#solidarity#equality#sustainability

✉️ President of Russia Vladimir Putincongratulated current staff and veterans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on their professional holiday, Diplomatic Worker's Day. The message reads, in part: ✍️ The Russian Foreign Ministry can be justly proud of its rich and glorious history. Its employees have always served the Motherland with honour, displaying civic courage, exceptional professionalism and dedication to duty. Continuing these traditions with dignity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the current challenging international environment, firmly and consistently defends Russia's legitimate national interests. It ensures effective cooperation with the global majority states in order to build a just multipolar world order based on mutual respect, the rule of international law, and the principles of equal and indivisible security. This is evidenced, in particular, by the productive work of the Russian chairmanship in #BRICS and the success of the Group’s Summit in Kazan. There is no doubt that in the year of the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory Russian diplomats will continue their active efforts in opposing any attempts to falsify history, manifestations of neo-Nazism, Russophobia and other forms of discrimination based on ethnic or religious grounds. Moreover, protecting the rights of our compatriots abroad remains a priority. I am confident that the close-knit Foreign Ministry team will continue to work with utmost dedication, contributing to the strengthening of Russia's international standing. I sincerely wish all employees of the Ministry's central office and diplomatic missions abroad continued success, and to the veterans of the diplomatic service good health, high spirits and longevity.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a presentation of the Department for Partnership with Africa(Moscow, February 4, 2025) 💬Sergey Lavrov: The establishment of this department underscores the significance that Russia’s leadership places on advancing the African aspect of our foreign policy. This priority is enshrined in the Foreign Policy Concept approved by President Putin in March 2023 and has become increasingly prominent in our practical policies in the international arena. Our African friends have always found a reliable and understanding friend and partner in Russia. <...> Russia selflessly supported Africans in their heroic struggle against colonial powers for freedom and independence, and assisted in developing young states, their economies, strengthening their defence capabilities, training national specialists, and resolving daunting social challenges. <...> Africans are playing an increasingly significant role in global politics and the economy, and widely participate in addressing international issues. The collective voice of African countries in world affairs is growing louderand clearer. Russia consistently advocates for strengthening Africa’s position in the multipolar world that is objectively taking shape before our eyes. This world must be consistently based on the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interrelation. <...> 🤝 We support the push of our African friends to secure a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and we respect the decisions taken by Africans in this regard. I’m referring to the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. We welcome the successful development of strong integration entities in Africa. We support our friends’ desire to determine their own future, as they remain guided by the African solutions to African problems principle. Russia-Africa cooperation, which President Vladimir Putin termed strategic in his article “Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future,” is reaching new qualitative heights. The significance of the first and second Russia-Africa Summits, alongside last November’s inaugural ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, cannot be overstated. In conjunction with our African partners, we are implementing agreed measures under the Action Plan adopted in St Petersburg in summer 2023. 📈 Progress is tangible, yet more remains to be done. Even though growing ($25 billion in 2024), our trade and economic cooperation still underperforms relative to its potential. Other African partners post markedly higher figures – a spur to identifying new constructive projects that solidify the material foundations of our strategic partnership. Opportunities abound, particularly in energy, logistics and transport corridors, creation of reliable settlement systems in high-tech domains (including outer space exploration, digital technologies, and nuclear energy), and beyond. We stand ready to collaborate bilaterally and through our like-minded partners and friends in the #EAEU, the #CIS, and the #SCO. Africa’s positions within #BRICS continue to strengthen – a trajectory set to expand further. <...> Russia will continue to support African nations in countering terrorism, including through the establishment of pertinent agencies, ensuring food security, combatting epidemics, and training highly skilled personnel. We are convinced that Africa is our natural ally in our joint endeavours to uphold the UN Charter’s principles of justice and equality. Read in full #RussiaAfrica

🇳🇬Nigeria becomes 9th BRICS partner country The Brazilian government, as the current BRICS Chair in 2025, announced the formal admission of Nigeria as a partner country of the BRICS group. As Africa’s largest country by population and one of its leading economies, Nigeria is expected to bring substantial influence to the partnership. 🤝The nation’s role in South-South cooperation aligns closely with the priorities of BRICS under Brazil’s presidency, as reported by the official website of the Brazilian government. Nigeria joins the ranks of eight other partner countries, including Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. The partner-country category was introduced during the 16th BRICS Summit, held in Kazan in October 2024. 🇮🇩On 6 January 2025, Indonesia became a full member of the group. 🔗read in full #RussianMFA#BRICS

#Outcomes2024 🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions during a news conference on the outcomes of Russian diplomacy in 2024 (January 14, 2025) Read in full *** 💬 FM Sergey #Lavrov: We are living in a historical era or confrontation between those who uphold the fundamental principles of international law <...> which have been formulated, set out and put forth in the most important international document – the UN Charter – and those who are not satisfied with that document, who decided <...> that they could not live in accordance with the wishes of the “political West”, <...> those who oppose multipolarity. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has repeatedly explained the true root causes of the special military operation in Ukraine. We had to begin to repel an attack, a war waged against us by the collective West with the main goal of suppressing competition when Russia re-emerged as its strong rival on the international arena. Their main goal was to weaken our country geopolitically, creating direct military threats to us right on our borders, on Russia’s native territories, <...> in an attempt to slash our strategic potential and devalue it as much as possible. The second reason also has to do with the history of the region, only it was more about the people who have lived on that land for centuries. <...> These people were labelled ‘terrorists’ by the current Ukrainian regime, which came to power through a coup d'etat. And when they refused to accept it, that regime launched an all-out offensive against all things Russian. <...> There has been a revival in efforts to oppose the Western diktat, with emerging economies and new centres of financial power in China, India, ASEAN, the Arab world, and CELAC. This group also includes a resurgent Russia together with its allies from the EAEU, the CIS, and CSTO. This also includes the SCO and #BRICS. The United States does not want to have any competitors anywhere, starting with the energy sector. <...> The United States and its allies have placed sanctions policies at the core of what they do on the international stage, including regarding Russia. This demonstrates their refusal to engage in fair economic competition and their commitment to using unfair, aggressive practices for suppressing their opponents. *** #CollectiveWest The West is intoxicated by its perceived “greatness,” its impunity, and its self-endowed authority to dictate the destinies of peoples worldwide. This reflects arrogance and a disdainful attitude towards the rest of the world. It is yet another brazen assertion that when we speak of “democracy,” it signifies merely one thing – “we do as we please.” <...> It is sheer hypocrisy, dictatorial behaviour, disrespect for the populace. #UN UN Security Council reform is needed. Not all countries that bear special responsibility in the global economy, finance, politics, and military affairs are represented in the UN Security Council. It has been pointed out repeatedly that countries such as India and Brazil have long earned permanent Security Council membership on all counts, as has Africa. #RussiaChina Russia-China partnership is among the key factors stabilising modern international life and the ongoing processes that are used, among other things, to escalate confrontation and hostility in international affairs, which is what our neighbours from NATO engage in under US guidance. #USA#Ukraine As soon as Donald Trump assumes the presidency and articulates his final stance on Ukrainian matters, we will examine it. <...> The increasing reference to the realities “on the ground” is a development likely to be welcomed. #RussiaSerbia Our relations with Serbia are grounded solely in the interests of the Serbian and Russian peoples, as well as our respective states. Our interests align on the vast majority of issues. These relations are rich with specific agreements and projects, including those in the energy sector, approved by our heads of state, governments, and companies.