South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has used his address at the 2025 UN General Assembly to deliver one of his strongest critiques yet of the global economic order, warning that trade is increasingly being weaponized to punish weaker nations. “It is concerning that geopolitical shocks and unprecedented trade policy volatility are destabilizing the global economy,” Ramaphosa told world leaders in New York. “Trade is now being used as a weapon against a number of countries in the world.”
He cited the United States’ six-decade embargo on Cuba as a prime example of what he described as unjust economic coercion. “This unfair embargo must be lifted, and we want it lifted sooner rather than later,” he said, echoing longstanding African Union and Non-Aligned Movement calls for Washington to end the sanctions. Ramaphosa also pressed for reforms to ensure trade supports development, particularly for countries in Africa and the Global South, many of which remain marginalized in global markets. He criticized unilateral tariffs and restrictive trade practices that, he argued, entrench inequality.
“For the Global South to realize its development goals, better access to affordable capital is critical,” he stressed, urging multilateral lenders to lower borrowing costs for developing countries struggling with debt, climate shocks, and stagnant growth. His speech builds on South Africa’s recent push within BRICS for alternative financing and more equitable trade frameworks, positioning Pretoria as a leading voice in the fight against economic marginalization.
