"Now is not the time for war": South Africa backs PM Modi's call for peace amid West Asia conflict
By Ayushi Agarwal, New Delhi, June 9
South Africa's High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal on Tuesday, voiced concern over the prolonged conflict in West Asia and its global economic repercussions, saying rising energy prices and disruptions in food and fertiliser supplies were being felt across the world. Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance that "now is not the time for war," Sooklal stressed the need for peace, dialogue and diplomatic solutions through the United Nations and multilateral institutions.
In an interview to ANI, the High Commissioner spoke about the recent military escalation between Israel and Iran and the situation in West Asia.
High Commissioner of South Africa to India, Anil Sooklal, said, "We have always said that war is not the solution to differences that countries may have amongst themselves".
He recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for diplomacy and dialogue as the way forward and also highlighted how the price and availability of energy, and the cost of food and fertilisers have been affected due to the prolonged conflict.
"Even though the war may be in West Asia, we live in an interconnected, interdependent world today, and we are seeing the negative repercussions. We fully agree with Prime Minister Modi when he says, "Now is not the time for war". It's a time for peace. It's a time for dialogue. It's a time for trying to find solutions through diplomatic means, working with the United Nations, with the Security Council, and our multilateral organisations, the regional organisations", he told ANI.
On the conflict in Gaza, Sooklal said that from the very outset of the Gaza conflict, South Africa has been clear that the situation must be resolved not through violence but by working through the United Nations, Security Council and the major players from within the region and the great powers that are involved in some way or another in this conflict.
"It's really an unfortunate situation that has been prolonged unnecessarily", he said.
On the impact of global supply chain disruptions on African economies, South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, termed the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz "unfortunate" and said, "the politicising of a very important waterway chokepoint that has a direct impact on energy availability on all of the countries globally, especially those of us who are dependent on the import of energy".
He underlined how it is important to work towards normalising the situation so that trade and transportation take place without hindrance. and said that the global waterways are global public goods which belong to the global community.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, some sensible voices emerging! The economic impact of this conflict is real - I've already seen prices of pulses and edible oil go up in my local market. If this continues, common people like us will suffer the most. Dialogue is the only way forward.
I appreciate India's balanced approach on this. But let's be honest - will Iran and Israel really listen to calls for peace? The situation in Gaza has been going on for far too long. While I support PM Modi's stance, we need more concrete action from global powers, not just statements.
This is why India and South Africa have always stood together - both nations understand the cost of conflict. From our own freedom struggles to today's challenges, we share a vision for peace. The Strait of Hormuz issue is critical - imagine if our oil imports get disrupted! 😟
As a student of international relations, I find this very interesting. India is positioning itself as a voice of reason in these troubled times. But I wish we could be more directly involved in mediation efforts. Simply agreeing that "now is not the time for war" isn't enough - we need active diplomacy.
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