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Discussions included Ukraine and Russia, Palestine and Israel, Sudan, Niger, and other nations in which peace initiatives are underway.
Pillay and Ramaphosa shared mutual concerns about violence and conflicts throughout the world and in South Africa in particular, including load shedding, unemployment, inequalities, crime, corruption, and slow response to the the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption, and Fraud in the Public Sector.
Pillay offered a prayer for the president at the end of the meeting. Pillay was accompanied by South African Council of Churches general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, who arranged the meeting.
“I was extremely pleased to discuss a number of global and local issues,” said Pillay. “President Ramaphosa was glad to hear about the WCC’s work and especially our peace initiatives in so many troubled parts of the world.”
Pillay added that he affirmed the importance of Ramaphosa’s role with African leaders in seeking to bring peace in Ukraine and Russia. “I urged him to continue his conversations with president Putin on seeking dialogue for peace and an end to the war,” said Pillay. “He mentioned the role South Africa played in unlocking the issue of the grain supply and was hopeful of dialogues towards peace in the Ukraine.”
Pillay concluded: “I was greatly impressed with President Ramaphosa’s responses to the very difficult and complex issues I raised with him, including a very frank discussion on challenges in South Africa.”
