JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accused the United States late on Sunday of peddling “blatant misinformation” by claiming his country was killing white people.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked South Africa since returning to the White House earlier this year, pointing to false claims of “white genocide” of Afrikaners, a minority population descended from European colonizers.
The US boycotted last weekend’s G20 summit in Johannesburg and Trump announced on Wednesday that he would not invite South Africa to the next gathering of the world’s leading economies, which he plans to host at a golf course in Miami owned by his family.
Ramaphosa said in a televised address the reasons the US gave for its “non-participation” were informed by “baseless and false allegations that South Africa is perpetrating genocide against Afrikaners and the confiscation of land from white people.”
“This is blatant misinformation about our country,” the president said on the SABC broadcast.
“As a country, we are aware that the stance taken by the US administration has been influenced by a sustained campaign of disinformation by groups and individuals within our country, in the US and elsewhere.
“These people who are spreading disinformation are endangering and undermining South Africa’s national interests, destroying South African jobs and weakening our country’s relations with one of our most important partners.”
Ramaphosa however said South Africa was willing “to continue to engage in dialogue with the United States government, and to do so with respect and with dignity as equal sovereign countries.”
Ramaphosa labels US attacks on South Africa ‘misinformation’
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Ramaphosa labels US attacks on South Africa ‘misinformation’
- Ramaphosa said in a televised address the reasons the US gave for its “non-participation” were informed by “baseless and false allegations that South Africa is perpetrating genocide against Afrikaners”
France, Algeria to resume security cooperation: minister
- Algeria plays a key role in the latter, sharing borders with junta-led Niger and Mali, both gripped by terrorist violence
ALGIERS: France and Algeria agreed on Tuesday to restart security cooperation during a visit to Algiers by French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, marking the first sign of a thaw in diplomatic ties.
After meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Nunez said both sides had agreed to “reactivate a high-level security cooperation mechanism.”
The visit took place against a backdrop of thorny relations between France and its former colony, frayed since Paris in 2024 officially backed Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, where Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front.
Nunez said Monday had been devoted to working sessions aimed at “restoring normal security relations,” including cooperation in judicial matters, policing and intelligence.
He thanked the Algerian president for instructing his services to work with French authorities to “improve cooperation on readmissions.” Algeria has for months refused to take back its nationals living irregularly in France.
The renewed cooperation is expected to take effect “as quickly as possible” and continue “at a very high level,” Nunez confirmed.
According to images released by Algerian authorities, the talks brought together senior security officials from both countries, including France’s domestic intelligence chief and Algeria’s head of internal security.
Invited by his counterpart Said Sayoud, Nunez’s trip had been planned for months but repeatedly delayed.
Both sides have a backlog of issues to tackle. Before traveling, Nunez said he intended to raise “all security issues,” including drug trafficking and counterterrorism.
Algeria plays a key role in the latter, sharing borders with junta-led Niger and Mali, both gripped by terrorist violence.
Ahead of the trip, Nunez had also mentioned the case of Christophe Gleizes, a French sports journalist serving a seven-year sentence for “glorifying terrorism.”
It is unclear whether the matter was discussed with Tebboune, from whom the journalist’s family has requested a pardon.
