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Herald Reporter

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday reiterated his call for the lifting of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and its allies.

The call was part of his address at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“We also call for a lifting of the sanctions that are crippling Zimbabwe and crippling its economy,” President Ramaphosa. His call comes at a time when Sadc has rallied behind Zimbabwe on the removal of the illegal sanctions and declaring October as the anti-sanctions month.

The South African president recalled the celebration on Wednesday, of the 20th anniversary of the approval of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, a model set by the international community to fight racism and other forms of intolerance.

“We have a common responsibility to fight both the legacy of racism in the past and its manifestations in the present.

“Racism, like sexism, xenophobia and homophobia, reduces us all,” he highlighted.

President Ramaphosa also called for Security Council reform and equitable representation in the UN system.

Speaking from a virtual platform, the President recalled that 2021 was 16 years after the 2005 World Summit, in which world leaders unanimously agreed to reform the Security Council.

“We have not fulfilled this commitment?

“In that sense, we must address the representation of the African continent in the UN system and ensure that the voice of its 1,3 billion people, and also the Global South in general, is fostered and strengthened in the multilateral system of nations,” the president demanded.