South African president to address UN amid genocide case against Israel

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the upcoming annual session of the UN General Assembly amid an ongoing genocide case against Israel over its offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Ramaphosa will lead the South African delegation to New York to attend the 79th session of the assembly, currently presided over by Cameroon's former Prime Minister Philemon Yang.

The South African president is expected to address the General Assembly on Tuesday, according to his office.

During his address, Ramaphosa will focus on "necessity for the maintenance of international peace and security" besides the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, as well as climate change and the upcoming COP29 meeting in Azerbaijan, development financing, health, and pandemic preparedness.

South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for Tel Aviv's indiscriminate bombardment of Palestinian besieged enclave of the Gaza Strip which has resulted in the deaths of more than 41,200 victims since last October.

Notably, reports had emerged that Israeli diplomats are lobbying US lawmakers to pressure South Africa into dropping its genocide case against Tel Aviv.

However, Pretoria has said the genocide case against Israel at the ICJ will continue and South Africa will file a memorial at the top UN court next month.

The annual gathering of world leaders is the "most important event on the UN calendar" to discuss global challenges and "how to address these challenges in the best interest of humanity," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.

Ramaphosa will also attend the UN chief's flagship high-level Summit of the Future.

Besides, he will engage business leaders "as part of the drive to attract foreign direct investment" to Africa's largest economy, it added.

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, among others, is accompanying Ramaphosa to the UN.