South Africa evades US censure even as it builds links to rivals

South Africa is playing all sides when it comes to foreign policy as the country seeks to position itself as a leading voice of the Global South, and the approach seems to be working — so far. The Brics group of developing nations held its annual summit in South Africa last year and the Group of 20 is set to follow suit in 2025, highlighting Pretoria’s growing international sway. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s efforts to secure vaccines for Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic, help broker an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and bring a genocide case against Israel at the International Criminal Court over its Gaza campaign have further enhanced its profile, despite the mixed results.