President Ramaphosa
Flickr

The war in Ukraine, climate funding, and the threat posed by terrorist groups will be high on the agenda when President Cyril Ramaphosa embarks on a state visit to the UK next week.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the United Kingdom from Nov. 22-24.

He is due to hold talks with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III during the visit. South Africa's relations with several Western nations, including the UK, have been strained by its refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, Ramaphosa is keen to improve relations with the UK and other Western powers, and the state visit is seen as a positive step in that direction. He is expected to use the visit to reassert South Africa's commitment to democracy and international law, and to reaffirm his country's support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

While South Africa and the UK voted differently on United Nations resolutions concerning the war, they still maintain a shared ambition for peace. High Commissioner of Britain to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, stated that there will be a detailed discussion on how to achieve this goal between the two countries.

President Ramaphosa's first day will be spent meeting with the royal family, and on the second day, he will meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street. According to Phillipson, this meeting will give the two leaders a chance to discuss the policy agenda between their countries.

After meeting with the Prime Minister, Ramaphosa will visit a UK-South Africa business forum at Lancaster House, where he will be accompanied by the secretary of state for international trade, Kemi Badenoch.

The two nations are expected to discuss topics of mutual interest, including the upcoming national elections in Zimbabwe and a terror alert that the U.S. had issued to warn of a possible attack in South Africa.

The visit is also special for the UK's Royal Family, as President Ramaphosa will be the first state guest hosted by King Charles III.

According to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace, "The President of the Republic of South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa, accompanied by Dr. Tshepo Motsepe, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from Tuesday 22nd November to Thursday 24th November 2022. The King and The Queen Consort will host the State Visit at Buckingham Palace."

President Ramaphosa will be greeted at his London hotel by the Prince and Princess of Wales on behalf of the King. They will then travel together to Horse Guards Parade, where they will be met by Charles for a ceremonial welcome.

The last state visit to the UK from a South African president was in 2010 by President Jacob Zuma and Mrs. Zuma. Before that, President Thabo Mbeki and Mrs. Mbeki visited in 2001 and President Nelson Mandela visited in 1996.