US Congress targets South Africa over deepening ties with Russia, China

In his first act as chairman of the newly revamped House Foreign Affairs panel on Africa, Republican John James of Michigan last week introduced legislation denouncing South Africa’s recent joint maritime exercises with the Russian and Chinese navies. The resolution calls on the Biden administration to conduct a “thorough review” of bilateral relations in the wake of recent South African actions, including the country’s refusal to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the UN.

“United States policy towards South Africa appears to have failed in building a strong, reliable bilateral partner,” the resolution says. It goes on to declare it a national security interest of the US to deter “acceptance, cooperation and strategic information sharing” with Russia and China.

Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks of New York, tells The Africa Report th