We must stand unequivocally for mediation and peace. We have a roadmap. Are we willing to use it?

15 March 2022

GOOD speech by Brett Herron,
GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of Parliament

15 March 2022

Note to editors: This speech was delivered by GOOD Secretary-General, Brett Herron, during the snap debate today in Parliament on the Russian Federation’s invasion into Ukraine and the impact it will have on the South African economy.

Madam Speaker,

The global economic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been described by the President of the World Bank as catastrophic.

It is a crushing blow to South Africa, which was depending on a resurgent global economy to mitigate the disaster of State Capture and stimulate its post-pandemic recovery.

We desperately need this recovery. Millions of unemployed South Africans will remain trapped in poverty for as long as our economy fails to grow by at least 3% per annum.

Rising commodity prices may advance some sectors of our economy, but rising oil prices will undoubtedly be disastrous.

Before Putin’s invasion, we were predicting our economy would grow by 1.8% this year.

But oil prices – already up by more than 100% over the last six months – could trim a full percentage point off this projected growth.

A devastating setback.

What can we do about it?

President Ramaphosa recently indicated that in the course of a discussion with his Russian counterpart the subject of South Africa’s possible role as a mediator was raised.

This is an important development.

When South Africa joined BRICS it was said that although our economy was dwarfed by those of our BRICS partners, our experience of managing the transformation from Apartheid to democracy was of immense global value.

This unique capital has already enabled South Africa to contribute to settling conflicts on the other side of the world.

In this regard, we think of the role we played in advancing peace in Northern Ireland, and in brokering the Lockerbie deal.

The President was himself involved in peace negotiations in Northern Ireland in the late 1990s, and we can draw important lessons from the leadership of President Mandela at the time.

When South Africa was approached to mediate in the Northern Ireland conflict, the former President reportedly said that our country does not intervene with the conflict in another country without being invited to do so.

Mandela apparently required written requests from all the parties involved.

We agree with the Government that the situation in Ukraine demands negotiation and compromise.

We know that President Ramaphosa has spoken to President Putin, but has he also spoken to Ukraine President Zalenskyy?

Lesson number two from the Northern Ireland mediation efforts was Madiba’s unequivocal insistence on a ceasefire.