Ramaphosa says working visit to US achieved goal of opening communication channels
Ramaphosa, who briefed South African media following his Wednesday morning engagement with Donald Trump, said trade, investment and golf were on the agenda when the two leaders met.
US President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa look at a video during a meeting with in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP
WASHINGTON - Despite being confronted with baseless claims of a genocide unfolding on South African soil, President Cyril Ramaphosa said his working visit to the United States (US) has achieved its goal of opening the channels of communication.
Ramaphosa, who briefed South African media following his Wednesday morning engagement with Donald Trump, said trade, investment and golf were on the agenda when the two leaders met.
He brought this to light in the presence of two South African golf legends.
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Earlier, Ramaphosa was shown visual footage and presented with news articles and images purporting to be evidence of a genocide unfolding in his country.
Not enough preparation could have spared Ramaphosa the full Trump treatment once he was in the belly of the beast.
The pair’s first engagement, in full view of the press, saw Ramaphosa and his team being confronted through a carefully orchestrated onslaught about the alleged genocide.
“We have thousands of stories talking about it, we have documentaries, we have news stories,” said Trump.
Hours after the engagement, Ramaphosa tried to downplay it, insisting he had left Washington having managed to narrow down the divisions between the two states.
“To reposition relations which had become contaminated by some of the issues, which had been raised during the engagement.”
The countries will flesh out the framework placed on the table by South Africa, which is anchored around gas, minerals and attracting more foreign direct investment.