At a high-profile trilateral meeting on Thursday, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, together with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Costa, President of the European Council, affirmed a deepening partnership defined by trust, reliability and shared goals. “It has indeed been a real honour to jointly preside over the South Africa-EU leaders trilateral meeting,” Ramaphosa said. “We’ve characterised this relationship as a mature relationship, a relationship that is predictable, that is reliable, and that is based on trust.”
The summit marked the signing of a landmark agreement tackling the future of critical minerals — metals essential for green energy, digital technology and defence — designed to ensure both South Africa and the EU rise up the value chain. The deal comes as the EU races to diversify supply away from dominant sources and amid growing fears of disruptions.
