King Charles welcomes South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa for first state visit
- The South African president hailed close ties with Britain, forged in the wake of a difficult legacy of colonialism and apartheid
- Ramaphosa also called on the UK to support the calls of lower income countries for a reformed global institutional order and climate justice
King Charles hosted his first state visit since becoming British monarch on Tuesday, welcoming Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace, where the South African president invoked Mandela as he paid tribute to the close ties between the two countries.
Charles, 74, rolled out the traditional pomp and ceremony as Britain sought to bolster its relations with its biggest trading partner in Africa.
Addressing lawmakers in parliament, Ramaphosa lauded the two nations’ close ties, forged in the wake of a difficult legacy of colonialism and apartheid.
He later said he had discussed “initiatives that can be embarked upon by the Commonwealth under the leadership of his majesty the king” over lunch at Buckingham Palace.
He said he would raise the idea of allowing more South African students to study in Britain when he meets Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday, and added the restructuring of South Africa’s energy market to battle power shortages could provide opportunities for British companies.
“By pursuing these and other avenues for cooperation, I believe that we will define the relationship between South Africa and the United Kingdom in new and exciting ways,” Ramaphosa said.
