South African cooperation with Russia
10.2.2023
Question for written answer E-000420/2023
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 138
Jaak Madison (ID), Teuvo Hakkarainen (ID), Elżbieta Kruk (ECR), Anna Zalewska (ECR)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently visited South Africa to prepare for joint naval drills between Russia, South Africa and China. South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor said that hosting military exercises with ‘friends’ was the ‘natural course of relations’. South Africa has also abstained from no fewer than two United Nations General Assembly resolutions condemning the Russian aggression.[1]
The EU is South Africa’s biggest and most important trade and development partner.
- 1.Given South Africa’s position on Russia, does the Vice-President / High Representative (VP/HR) agree that all EU funding to South Africa should be suspended until further notice and if not, why not?
- 2.In late 2022, South Africa allowed Alexey Mordashov’s vessel to enter South African territorial waters, where it was seeking sanctuary. Does the VP/HR recommend that sanctions be imposed on South Africa and if not, why not?
- 3.Does the VP/HR intend to meet with Minister Pandor to relay the EU’s concerns about South Africa’s position on the Ukraine crisis?
Submitted: 10.2.2023
- [1] United Nations General Assembly resolution on the Aggression against Ukraine of 1 March 2022 (A/ES-11/L.1).