President Ramaphosa urges global solidarity and equality in message to Pope Leo XIV

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a renewed global spirit of solidarity, equality, and shared humanity to confront the world’s growing social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Delivering a message to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Saturday at the Vatican, President Ramaphosa said the world faced immense trials that could only be overcome through unity, multilateralism and a commitment to peace. 

“We meet at a time when humanity faces immense challenges. To many, it seems easier to fund wars than to invest in peace. Conflicts across the globe are dividing societies and inflicting untold destruction. These global challenges cannot be resolved by nations acting alone; only through solidarity and multilateralism,” he said.

The President said South Africa’s G20 Presidency presented an opportunity to advance the common good by tackling inequality, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring justice for all.

“To overcome these immense trials, we must summon a new global spirit. Through our G20 Presidency, South Africa sees an opportunity to promote solidarity that advances the common good. This is a moment to forge greater equality, empowering the marginalised, unlocking human potential and ensuring justice for all,” he said.

President Ramaphosa commended Pope Leo XIV’s leadership following the passing of Pope Francis, describing his election as “a source of hope and encouragement” to many.

He said South Africa’s multi-faith society, which includes almost four million Catholics, continued to draw strength from its history of faith-based activism and its enduring commitment to social justice and reconciliation.

“Faith-based communities have been at the forefront of our struggle for democracy, human rights and social justice. Drawing on our history, mindful of the state of the world today, we are preparing to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit later this month under the theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability’,” the President said.

The work of the summit, he said, would be guided by the philosophy of Ubuntu, which recognises shared humanity.

“We will prioritise pressing issues such as inequality, food security and the social, economic and environmental development of Africa and the Global South,” he said.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that true strength lay in collective action and compassion, calling on wealthier nations to act not from charity, but from justice.

“The human impulse is not towards isolation, but towards community. It is through this solidarity that the strong discover their true strength: not in dominion, but in lifting up the weak. So too must the wealthy nations embrace their duty to the poor, in health, in education and in security — not as an act of charity, but to build a just world,” he said.

He warned that global division and fragmentation threatened the prospects of lasting peace, adding that a multilateral order grounded in universal values and justice was essential.

“We must take action to tackle the ecological harms that threaten us all. We must ensure that the burdens of debt do not chain successive generations to poverty. At the heart of all our endeavours must lie a relentless pursuit of equality,” he said.

President Ramaphosa also expressed deep concern over ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine and Palestine, urging the global community to act consistently in pursuit of peace and justice.

“From the suffering in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the anguish in Ukraine and Palestine, our conscience must be consistent. We must strive for peace and justice wherever human lives are held captive by war,” he said.

The President said South Africa’s experience of dialogue and reconciliation positioned it to help facilitate difficult conversations that lead to lasting peace.

“South Africa, born from the wisdom of dialogue and the grace of reconciliation, carries a unique heritage. It is our knowledge that even the bitterest of enemies can sit at a common table that we offer to the world,” he said.

He also acknowledged the Holy See’s global influence in promoting human dignity, calling for deeper collaboration between South Africa and the Vatican on humanitarian aid, climate justice, and peacebuilding.

“We recognise the critical leadership role of the Holy See in human affairs. We join the Holy See’s commitment to peace, prosperity and equality,” President Ramaphosa said.

Commending the Holy Father’s emphasis that “peace requires dignified [and] prosperous coexistence”, the President said the Jubilee Commission Report and the Church’s calls for reform of the global financial system resonated deeply with South Africa’s G20 agenda.

“Many African countries spend more on servicing debt than on education or healthcare. Innovative financial instruments and reforms of the global financial system are essential if we are to build a fairer, more peaceful and prosperous world,” he said.

Concluding his address, President Ramaphosa extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit South Africa, describing it as a “great honour” for the nation.

“It is a great blessing for us to be here and walk through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica during this Jubilee Year of Hope. I will carry these blessings and spirit of hope back to our people in South Africa,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa arrived in Rome on Friday for a working visit to the Holy See. He is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola and his daughter, Keneilwe Ramaphosa.

South Africa and the Holy See have enjoyed warm and cordial relations since the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in 1994. The meeting with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV is of particular significance, as it represents South Africa’s first high-level engagement with the newly appointed Pontiff. 

His ascension to the papacy on 8 May 2025 provides an important opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen bilateral relations with the Holy See. – SAnews.gov.za