President Ramaphosa outlines vision for equitable global trade in latest “From the Desk of the President” Column

In his weekly address published on Mondays, President Cyril Ramaphosa underscored South Africa pivotal role in reshaping global trade frameworks through its G20 Presidency, emphasising the need for “expanded, inclusive, and sustainable value chains” to drive economic transformation.

Writing under the banner of From the Desk of the President—his platform dedicated to national policy discourse—Ramaphosa articulated a roadmap to bolster industrial growth, secure fairer terms for developing economies, and unlock job opportunities through strategic trade partnerships.

“Trade between nations is not merely transactional endeavour but cornerstone of economic progress,” Ramaphosa stated, reflecting on South Africa’s dual priorities of advocating for multilateral cooperation while strengthening domestic industries.

He highlighted the story of Bongani Thobela, a farmer from Elukwatini in Mpumalanga, as emblematic of this vision.

Thobela, supported by a government initiative to connect local producers with global markets, recently secured export licenses to Germany and China after attending the world largest fresh produce trade fair in Berlin.

Thobela is the Managing Director of Thobela Royale Farm, a company that farms in peaches, nectarines and vegetables in Elukwatini, Mpumalanga.

“His success reaffirms our conviction that diversifying exports is essential to breaking the cycles of dependency that have historically constrained emerging economies,” the President wrote.