South Africa's calm response to Trump's aid threat and Pretoria's overall approach underscore economic sovereignty, Dr. Tafadzwa Ruzive, an expert in international economics and finance and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Free State in South Africa, told Sputnik Africa in a recent interview.
"South Africa's standing in geopolitics is that they are known as peacemakers […] they are good negotiators. So I'm sure that President Cyril Ramaphosa's response is correct, and that is the South African way of doing things," Dr. Ruzive said. "I think Trump is moving to the extreme to try to pull Ramaphosa in for negotiation, which is a tactic that we see him using all over the world."
The expert further contextualized Trump's actions within a broader pattern of economic pressure tactics employed by the US, including tariffs and sanctions. He argued this was a manifestation of an "America-first" policy designed to isolate the world and shape global dynamics to suit US interests.
"The pressure is being applied to the economic side of the equation to achieve movements on the political front," said Dr. Ruzive. He added that from a purely economic perspective, such a move by Trump would likely be a lose-lose situation.
Dr. Ruzive also addressed former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's call for African leaders to cease relying on Western aid. He believes Africa has the capacity to develop its own capital markets and foster intra-African lending and investment, asserting that the misconception of reliance on foreign capital hinders African development.
The discussion then turned to the role of intra-African trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in reducing dependence on Western funding. Dr. Ruzive argued that South Africa is in a position to lessen dependence on Western support.
He highlighted the country’s ability to offset potential losses from reduced US aid by leveraging alternative markets and trade relationships, mentioning partnerships with China, Russia, and other BRICS members as potential avenues to absorb any reduced trade with the US.
In concluding remarks, Dr. Ruzive reiterated that South Africa's membership in BRICS strengthens its capacity to withstand external economic pressure and further bolsters its pursuit of greater economic sovereignty. The discussion highlighted a shift towards greater economic independence and self-reliance within the African continent.