United Nations welcomes President Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address

Pretoria, South Africa – The United Nations in South Africa welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) to the national Parliament last night and support the seven priorities outlined for achievement by 2030.

Speaking from Cape Town where she attended the SONA event on behalf of the UN in South Africa, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the UN Resident Coordinator, expressed her satisfaction with the President’s speech adding, “The UN stands ready to support the Government and the people of South Africa in assisting them to meet their ambitions to achieve a common vision as outlined in the country’s National Development Plan and the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.”

In his address, President Ramaphosa outlined seven priorities for his government which included, among others, job creation, the delivery of reliable and quality basic services including education and health as well as the cultivation of “a capable, ethical developmental state”. He emphasized that all the government’s programmes and policies would “be directed in pursuit of these overarching tasks.”

“We particularly welcome the President’s five goals of eradicating hunger, promoting economic growth, tackling youth unemployment, fostering a culture of reading and access to quality education and the reduction of crime, which speak directly to the achievement of the SDGs within the same time frame,” said Ms. Bekele-Thomas.

For further information and to arrange media interviews, please contact Zeenat Abdool, UNIC National Information Officer on 082-778-8080 / Email: abdool@un.org