The South African Government is alarmed by the escalating tension in Iraq which has far reaching ramifications not only for the Middle East region, but also for international peace and security.
“It is crucial for all sides to remain calm and desist from taking any further action that will exacerbate the already fragile situation. South Africa emphasises its principled view that conflicts should be resolved through political dialogue rather than resorting to the use of force,” said International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor in response to these developments.
South Africa reiterated the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s support for the “independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and prosperity of Iraq”.
South Africa recalled and reaffirmed the statement of the UN Security Council issued on 13 December 2019, in which the members of the Security Council had “called for maximum restraint and urged all to refrain from violence or the destruction of critical infrastructure”.
