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Transcript/Script(PLAYBOOK SLUG: BIDEN-South Africa
HEADLINE: Biden Hosts South African President for First White House Visit
TEASER: Ukraine conflict, relations with China, global security part of discussions in US leader's meeting with Cyril Ramaphosa
PUBLISHED AT: (9/16/22 & TIME)
BYLINE: Anita Powell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: The White House
VIDEOGRAPHER: AFP, VOA
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, ZOOM (WITH LICENSE),
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES:
))
((Intro: ))
[[South African president Cyril Ramaphosa made his first visit to the White House on Friday, where he and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed global security, climate change, trade, food security and health — and African nations’ reluctance to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. ]]
((Biden and Cyril in the Oval, AP-4397797))
((NARRATOR))
South Africa’s president made his first visit to the White House on Friday, more than four years after he took office.
President Joe Biden said the U.S. values its relationship with the Rainbow Nation.
((SOT, English, AFP-V000_32JJ84T))
((President Joe Biden))
"We have a lot to talk about, because a lot's happening around the world — not only on the continent of Africa, but around the world that you're engaged in as well. So welcome, I'm looking forward to our conversation, and thanks for taking the time to be here."
((Mandela stills slide show – we have to use stills because the Mandela Foundation is extremely strict about his image in moving pictures. Stills are what is available on wires, and we have lots: AFP-000_32HY9H2; AFP-000_9V94C7, AFP-000_32HY8KH))
((NARRATOR))
Biden also fondly recalled meeting Nelson Mandela, the man who led the charge to end the racist apartheid regime. Mandela became the nation’s first democratically elected leader in 1994.
((Return to pool feed of meeting, AP-4397797))
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is staring down a tight party leadership race as he nears the end of his first term as president, made his priorities clear too.
((SOT, English, AFP-V000_32JJ84T))
((Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President))
"We really welcome the opportunity to be here so that we can extend those relations and we can get more companies to invest in South Africa to create jobs. We're also here to say thank you for the support that the United States gave to South Africa and to the African continent with regard to fighting COVID-19, the vaccines that you made available."
((Meeting sequence of them looking especially friendly in the oval: AP-4397797))
((NARRATOR))
Administration officials acknowledged that the leaders had sensitive topics to discuss privately.
Just hours before the meeting, Ramaphosa publicly criticized pending U.S. legislation that seeks to monitor Russian activities in Africa, saying, “The bill seems to punish those who hold independent views” and do not join the U.S. in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
((MRT please clip establishing Kirby shot from briefing OR if you want, me asking the question))
VOA asked the White House if this was the intent of the bill.
((SOT, MRT please clip from about 14:48 in briefing))
((John Kirby, National Security Council))
“The United States isn't making anybody choose between us and somebody else, either whether it comes to Ukraine or in the Indo-Pacific region. We respect sovereignty.”
((Meeting in Oval AP-4397797))
Analysts say the two nations need each other right now.
((Radio: International relations professor John Stremlau, of the University of the Witwatersrand, spoke to VOA via Zoom from Johannesburg))
((SOT, English, Zoom, from 2:08, file here https://app.frame.io/player/b70f18a3-1d7a-4680-910e-aef695e99d11 ))
((John Stremlau, University of the Witwatersrand)) ((Zoom))
“It's a very critical moment for both countries. They're both terribly divided, and narrowly divided, so that I think they can help each other. And that's at the more subtle level than the agenda that is publicly announced, which is very important, not only important for South Africa but for Africa.”
((South Africa shots, protests: Protests AFP-V000_32GZ9HB, AFP-V045_32GZ98G, AFP-V000_32DW6LY; Football, AFP-V000_32FJ8V7; Ramaphosa ANC AFP-V000_32FR6HL))
((NARRATOR))
Ramaphosa leads a diverse, resource-rich nation that faces serious challenges but that has a passion for equality, a knack for beating great odds, and a talent for cheerfully meeting any problem head on by “making a plan.”
((END with them laughing in their chairs in the Oval, AFP-V000_32JJ84T))
On Friday, the two leaders retreated from their boisterous, outspoken populations to talk about how to make a plan, together.
((Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateSeptember 17, 2022 00:21 EDT
BylineAnita Powell
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
