New Delhi, April 23: The South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Suklal, has urged the international community to promote peace among the nations involved in the West Asia conflict for the betterment of humanity.
In an interview, Suklal emphasized the severe global impact of the ongoing war in West Asia, particularly concerning energy security. He echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that now is not the time for war.
Suklal expressed hope that peace talks between the United States and Iran could yield positive outcomes. “We must remain hopeful, as this is what is needed at this time. If the war continues, it will have dire consequences for all of us. It has already adversely affected energy security and will impact all other areas of our lives. This conflict is stalling our economic development and reducing opportunities. As Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly stated, now is the time to talk about peace. I hope that peace will bring benefits, fostering tranquility in the Middle East and around the world,” he said.
The Trump administration has extended the ceasefire with Iran while maintaining a maritime blockade. The White House has indicated that there is no deadline for negotiations and has continued to apply economic pressure on Tehran.
The South African ambassador noted, “Clearly, this will escalate. As seen in South Africa’s case, dialogue is the only way to resolve differences and achieve a common understanding and lasting peace. Therefore, we must encourage the parties to stay connected and continue discussions to benefit humanity.”
When asked if the conflict in West Asia is slowing the adoption of renewable energy, Ambassador Suklal responded, “Certainly, it is hindering the pace of adopting renewable energy and all forms of energy cooperation. As I mentioned, this war is a stain on humanity. No one wins in war. We all lose—not just the parties involved, but all of humanity. The sooner we can bring peace, the better it will be for all.”
He added that the world is moving towards multipolarity. “I believe we are witnessing a shift in global power dynamics, not just between China and the U.S., but across the globe. We are heading towards a multipolar world, which I think is beneficial for the global community. We do not want a situation where one or two powers dictate what happens in our collective world. I believe we all want to see a multipolar world where power is distributed across the global community, benefiting everyone.”
Suklal criticized the U.S. decision to exclude South Africa from the G20 summit and stressed that the group has been weaponized. South Africa will participate in next year’s G20 summit and will play a crucial role in ensuring that the G20 works collectively to address challenges and seize significant opportunities.
“The G20 has also been weaponized. South Africa is a full member of the G20 and has participated in every summit, including the one we successfully hosted last year. This year, we have been sidelined by the current host. However, we will reclaim our place at the G20 table next year. We have been full members and will continue to play a vital role in ensuring that the G20 operates as a collective alliance to tackle challenges,” he stated.
Suklal mentioned that South Africa drew inspiration from the Indian Constitution when drafting its own. On the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution Day, he remarked, “Constitution Day is very important. We are a constitutional democracy. We gained freedom in 1994, and our new constitution was enacted in 1996. In drafting our new constitution, we were inspired by the Indian Constitution to ensure that it embodies all the values we sought in building a new nation and to prevent the devastation caused by racism and apartheid from re-emerging in South African society.”
He further stated, “As we remember our freedom, we take great pride in our constitution’s framers. We have had democracy for over three decades, built on a strong constitution that considers the diverse nature of South African society. The three levels of governance—judiciary, executive, and legislative—are well established and function effectively. We take pride in being one of the world’s youngest democracies and in our connection with India, which is not only the world’s largest democracy but also one of the most vibrant.”
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