President Cyril Ramaphosa says that he has sought the counsel of his Kenyan counterpart, President William Ruto, on how to tackle the challenge of migration facing South Africa and the continent.
Ramaphosa said this at the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Thursday following discussions between delegations of the two countries which formed part of a three-day state visit.
The visit has yielded several agreements aimed at elevating relations between the two countries and has confirmed their shared country’s approach to the changing geopolitical landscape.
Provinces including KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng have hit the headlines across the continent in recent times following protests against illegal immigrants.
Ramaphosa says Pretoria is working on various interventions to resolve the matter.
“We have found joy in being able to talk at a deep level with various leaders, including this morning with President Ruto, when we shared some thoughts and ideas on how best this challenge can be resolved. Yes, there will be envoys. Yes, there will be people that we will send around, not only on the continent, but also around the world. What we seek to do is to get the issue of migration so broadly and properly addressed.”
His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa and First Lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe welcome
His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto of the Republic of Kenya and First Lady, Mrs Rachel Ruto to the Union Buildings in Tshwane for a State Visit to South Africa.
The visit reaffirms… pic.twitter.com/7DEyVh3Zgt
— The Presidency
The two countries’ ministerial delegations have worked hard, signing six instruments to increase bilateral trade focused on shipping and maritime cooperation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, technical and vocational education, as well as arts, heritage, and sports.
These agreements form part of a plan to elevate the current Joint Commission for Cooperation established in 2007 into a strategic partnership framework to foster stronger relations. Ruto expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.
“On trade and investment, we noted with satisfaction the upward trajectory of our bilateral trade, which grew from US $590 million in 2024 to $650 million in 2025, an increase of $60 million, or more than 10 per cent in a single year. This momentum must not only be sustained, but we must also accelerate. We acknowledge that real obstacles remain, including tariff and non-tariff barriers, limited market access, and regulatory constraints.”
VIDEO | SA-Kenya business forum:
Besides the economy, South Africa and Kenya have been at the forefront of efforts to secure peace and security on the continent, including separate interventions in the civil strife occurring in Sudan, South Sudan and the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Pretoria and Nairobi have affirmed their commitment to strengthening the African Union and its institutions and ensuring that Africa speaks with one voice in the achievement of the vision of Agenda 2063.
The last is important in light of Ruto replacing Ramaphosa as an invitee to the G7 in France in ten days, reportedly due to pressure from the United States government.
Ramaphosa says the continent’s message is safe with Ruto.
“When President Ruto goes to the G7 in France, he will be articulating the interests of Africa. He will be articulating what Africa needs and where Africa wants to go. He will be speaking to the vision that is set out in Agenda 2063 for the whole continent. And of course, there are moments when bilateral meetings will be held, when he will speak about Kenya. But our primary focus as leaders, and certainly in my case and President Ruto’s case, is to uphold and promote the interests of our continent. And we never see a contradiction in who is given the space, the platform, and the opportunity to attend whatever forum.”
The State Visit ends on Friday.
VIDEO | President Ramaphosa hosts his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto:
About the Author
