British News Agency

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot made a statement regarding his meeting with South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.

Drawing attention to the current state of the international order, Prevot said: “I had a good conversation with my South African counterpart in Davos. The world’s diplomatic compass is turning. Multilateralism is under pressure from all sides. The UN Charter, once the cornerstone of the international order, is being tested like never before. South Africa and Belgium agree that international law is not optional.”

Emphasizing the shared stance on global crises, Prevot added: “Whether it is supporting accountability in Gaza or defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity, we share the same views on fundamental issues. We also discussed the ongoing crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where people continue to suffer. M23 units must withdraw, and access to humanitarian aid must be improved.”

Referring to Sudan, Prevot said: “We talked about Sudan, where one of the world’s worst humanitarian and health crises is unfolding. We cannot turn a blind eye. Urgent action is needed.”

On bilateral relations, Prevot concluded: “Beyond these crises, our bilateral relations continue to strengthen. We look forward to our sixth joint commission to be held later this year in Pretoria to strengthen our ties and develop our economic partnership.”