President Cyril Ramaphosa and newly elected British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have expressed their shared commitment to deepening relations between South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK).

This as Prime Minister Starmer placed a call with President Ramaphosa on Sunday morning.

Starmer assumed the position on Friday, 5 July 2024.

According to the Presidency, the two leaders have expressed their commitment to deepen relations in areas including the just energy transition.

In the call, the Prime Minister expressed his interest in ‘working closely with South Africa as part of executing the strong mandate given to the Labour Party in the general election on Thursday, 4 July 2024.’

President Ramaphosa congratulated Prime Minister Starmer on his electoral victory and said the Statement of Intent framing South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) incorporated many objectives shared by the two new administrations.

READ | President Ramaphosa congratulates new UK Prime Minister

The two leaders viewe
d today’s discussion as a continuation of the deliberations in which they engaged in November 2022 when President Ramaphosa visited London on the first State Visit hosted by His Majesty King Charles III.

Sir Keir Starmer was at that time the leader of the opposition Labour Party.

‘President Ramaphosa described the bilateral relationship as a special bond and said South Africa wished to see greater alignment with the UK at the national and multilateral level, with South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 in 2025 providing one such opportunity.

“President Ramaphosa foresees closer cooperation with [the] UK in the political, social, people-to-people, diplomatic, trade and investment and climate change domains,’ said the Presidency.

The Prime Minister agreed that the G20 would be a platform for advancing shared interests in climate change, economic growth and the eradication of inequality.

Source: South African Government News Agency