President Cyril Ramaphosa has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations by the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The University of Malaya, the oldest institution of higher learning in Malaysia, previously conferred an Honorary Doctorate on South Africa’s first Black President, Nelson Mandela, nearly 35 years ago.
President Ramaphosa is currently on an official visit to Southeast Asia, where he also attended the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. During the summit, he positioned South Africa as a prime destination for global investment.
During the conferment ceremony, President Ramaphosa said that while the degree is awarded to an individual, it represents the collective achievements of an entire nation.
“It recognises the struggle of the South African people for democracy and freedom. It acknowledges the progress we have made in building a new society founded on the principles of equality, justice, and solidarity,” he said.
President Ramaphosa also emphasised the importance of strengthening ties between South Africa and Malaysia.
“I receive this honorary doctorate with gratitude from the University of Malaya, an institution with a rich and proud history. I accept it on behalf of your brothers and sisters in South Africa, who owe the people of Malaysia and its noble leaders a great debt. Thank you for standing with us in our quest for dignity and justice.
“As we enter a new and even greater era of South–South cooperation, we carry with us the spirit of the early Cape Malay community, whose values are the bedrock of the free South Africa we have today. Let there be friendship. Let there be peace. Salaam Alaikum,” President Ramaphosa concluded.
